Syed Hamid quits Umno

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar (pic) has quit Umno, saying that he can no longer stay and pretend that all is well and good in the party.

"Never had I thought there would come a day that I would abandon Umno, the party that I was born into, the party that was selfless and instrumental in paving the way for the nation's independence.

"But seeing what it is today, the troubles it intentionally courted and the shenanigans its leaders are involved in, I can no longer stay and pretend that all is well and good," he said in a statement on Friday (June 29).

Syed Hamid said there was talk about him supporting Pakatan Harapan during the general election.

"To those who have not heard or are unaware of my position and support, I would like to state clearly and for the record that I am officially no longer a member of Umno," he declared.

Syed Hamid said he became disillusioned with Umno's struggles, pointing out that the party's ideology and philosophy had been twisted to become intolerant, self-centred and undemocratic.

While Umno was founded on the principles of ensuring that the Malay race and culture, and the religion of Islam were upheld and protected, Syed Hamid said that this does not mean that other races, beliefs and traditions should be marginalised.

"Its leaders have grown elitist, too far removed and detached from the grassroots to listen or understand the needs of our Rakyat.

"Worse, these same leaders have practiced and condoned a denial syndrome that has gone on for far too long, foregoing transparency and the rule of law in favour of their own excesses.

"Umno's leadership in the recent years has destroyed the party's image, reputation and good name, as they allowed abuse of power and corruption to thrive," he added.

Syed Hamid is a former Umno supreme council member. He served as a Barisan Nasional Member of Parliament from 1990 to 2013 and undertook various ministerial positions until 2009.

He had previously served as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department and Minister of Law, Defence Minister, Foreign Minister and also Home Minister.

Lamenting that Umno is no longer the party that he had once known, Syed Hamid accused it as being a selfish party that strives for its own survival and gain and cared little for the people.

The ideals which the party once held sacred were abandoned and at best used as rhetorical speeches for Umno politicians with vested interest, he added.

"But that as it may, the principles of the party once believed in are still very much alive in me and that ironically made me realise that I can no longer serve the party which abandons its principles or ideals," he said.