Najib’s shadow looms large as Umno leaders call for more efforts to free him from jail

KUALA LUMPUR – Hundreds of Umno delegates were in tears at the closing ceremony of the party’s annual meeting on Aug 24, as party president Zahid Hamidi recited a poem for former premier Najib Razak, who is serving a prison sentence for his part in a financial crime linked to a state fund.

The tears, and repeated calls for more efforts to free Najib from jail, at the four-day assembly, reflected his deep influence on the party despite leading the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance to its first-ever defeat in a general election in 2018.

BN was again defeated at the 2022 national polls, a sign of lingering voter disgust amid the perceptions of deep-rooted corruption in Umno.

While BN is a member of Malaysia’s governing alliance today, its 30 seats in Parliament are only a small part of the total 145 seats controlled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is not from the party.

“My friend, nothing hurts us more, as we recall at this moment, how you are languishing behind bars, accompanied by silence and cold walls, as we worry about you, and miss you, who were always with us,” said Datuk Seri Zahid, sobbing as he recited the poem titled Buat Seorang Sahabat (For A Friend), behind him a backdrop of photographs of Najib in jail.

“My friend, as proof of our friendship, I tie myself with an oath and promise, to work towards your freedom and ensure that you will return to us.”

Najib was taken to Kajang Prison on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in August 2022 when

his final appeal to Malaysia’s apex court was rejected.

He is serving a six-year sentence – reduced from 12 – for illegally receiving funds misappropriated from a unit of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Some RM42 million (S$12.5 million) was found in his personal bank account.

He faces several other 1MDB-linked cases in court.

The United States Department of Justice reported that from 2009 to 2015, more than US$4.5 billion (S$5.9 billion) in funds belonging to 1MDB were misappropriated by high-level Malaysian officials and their associates.

Earlier on Aug 24, Mr Zahid’s daughter Nurulhidayah Zahid had also called on the delegates not to give up on Najib, saying that he had brought success to the nation through various programmes, and that his work had benefited Umno and Malaysians. At least one of Najib’s five children, his daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib, was also in the meeting hall.

Prior to Mr Zahid’s closing speech, Umno’s permanent chairman, Tan Sri Badruddin Amilruddin, also shed tears as he called on the delegates in the main hall of World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, the party headquarters, to pray for Najib.

The lights in the hall were dimmed as Mr Badruddin played a song by Singaporean singer Ramli Sarip titled Selapis Kasih, Sedulang Rindu (A Layer Of Love, A Tray Of Yearning) to remember Najib.

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said many Umno members yearn for Najib’s return to lead the party, as they recall an easier time for the party and country under his leadership.

“Many also genuinely believe that Najib is the key to reviving Umno’s political fortune, which... they think could check the onslaught of their rivals for Malay support,” Dr Oh told The Straits Times.

Umno is facing a stiff fight against the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance, co-led by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), for the same bank of Malay Muslim votes.

Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh said at a press conference on Aug 24 that Najib retained strong influence on the party owing to his contributions as their president.

“As a leader, he had contributed a lot for the party. During his tenure, he gave many opportunities for the youth to succeed. Of course, his freedom will have a positive impact on youth support for the party,” Dr Akmal added.

Johor Umno Youth leader Muhamad Farkhan Mohd Haron opined that Najib was a prime minister for all, and referred to him as Bossku (my boss), which is Najib’s moniker.

“Many miss Bossku. Many credited him as an economic expert, contributing a lot to the nation and people, nobody was left out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said 42 per cent of the written motions received by the party’s 171 divisions around the country urged its leadership to fight for the full pardon of Najib.

The four-day meeting was held in high spirits at the party headquarters in downtown Kuala Lumpur following Umno’s huge win in the Nenggiri ward where it trounced PN and obtained 9,091 votes against its rival’s 5,739.

Party elders also pleaded for its members and grassroots to close ranks for the next general election, which must be held by the end of 2027, as the current political climate in Malaysia has changed – no single party or coalition can “go solo” and win a simple majority.

In his policy speech on Aug 23, Mr Zahid said the future of Umno lies in cooperating with other parties and coalitions as long as Umno’s four core principles – Malay rights, Islam’s primacy, defending the Malay rulers and the Malay language’s primacy – are not compromised.