The Malaysian Insight

ISA Samad slammed his former party Umno for its flawed handling of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal which had cost it the state of Negri Sembilan in the 14th general election, saying he had managed to hold on to the state even during the tough Reformasi years.

He compared the challenge the scandal posed to Umno to the Reformasi movement sparked by the sacking of then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, which had threatened to topple the party in the 1999 general election.

“Anwar was very strong then, it was the Reformasi period. But we managed to win.

“What I did then was, I explained Anwar’s sacking to the voters so that they understood (and stayed with us),” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The former Umno man said he was upset with the party, which he recently quit.

“It is very sad, I am very upset that we lost the state,” he said.

The former Linggi assemblyman of five terms was state menteri besar for 22 years, from 1982 to 2004.

He blamed the party leadership and lack of direction for Umno’s failure to retain Negeri Sembilan in the May 9 polls.

“We had a wrong strategy and maybe also wrong candidates. During the election, the most important thing you know how to manage the issues. We failed to explain on 1MDB,” Isa said.

This plus with the current prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s campaign led to BN’s heavy defeat, said the former Felda chairman.

“Dr Mahathir was very persistent on the 1MDB issue from day one right up to the election day. We (Umno) failed to explain the issue well.”

Isa is contesting against PKR’s president elect Anwar, PAS’ retired air force officer Nazari Mokhtar and four other independents including Anwar’s ex-aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. –  September 30, 2018.