Youth & Sports Minister Ismail Sabri Hedges His Bets By Asking Dr M To 'Help' PM Rehabilitate Umno

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should help to rehabilitate Umno after the dismal performance by the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the general election on March 8 instead of continuing to issue statements that can divide Umno.

Bera Umno division head Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, said Dr Mahathir's statements lately calling on Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down would only aggravate the situation.

"Tun Dr Mahathir should play a role in assisting to rehabilitate Umno, help the Umno president instead of making criticisms and asking Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as Umno president and Prime Minister.

"Tun (Dr Mahathir) should not criticise on the candidacy for the president's post, the quota system, bonus votes and criticising the (Umno) Supreme Council. The quota system, for example, started since the time Tun was Umno president," he told reporters after attending a gathering to celebrate his appointment as a Cabinet minister at the Bera Rakan Muda Complex, here today.

He said there was no need for Dr Mahathir to continue to criticise the top leadership because Umno members at the grassroots could determine the question on the party's presidential election through the democratic process (nomination quota), a system which was inherited from him.

On the extraordinary general meeting (EGM), Ismail Sabri, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bera, said it was unnecessary because the Umno general assembly had already been scheduled for December.

He said the Bera Umno division was giving its full support to Abdullah to continue to lead Umno and the government, and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as Umno deputy president and Deputy Prime Minister. (Bernama)

***** Political lightweights like Ismail Sabri should know when to shut up and not make inconsequential statements designed to please both sides of the Umno divide. As if he doesn't know the unrealistic logic of his self-serving call. When giants are battling it out in the arena, small fries should be seen and not heard lest they get themselves stomped upon and pulverised.

Ismail Sobri should be grateful for the chance to have become sports minister and he should channel his energies to reverse the corrupt wheeling and dealing indulged in and the considerable damage done by his predecessor.
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