Members of the Bukit Bendera Umno division are threatening to jump ship in protest against the party and state leadership for ignoring the problems of the grassroots.

Kg Mutiara Umno chief Rose Akhmar Ahmed ( right ) said that about 360 members may leave the party if the state leaders continues to be silent about the issues the division had raised prior to the division’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Aug 8.

He is however unable to reveal to which party in the rival camp the members are planning to cross over.

He added that the group had sent an official letter to the party’s supreme council and state liaison committee on Aug 11, after lodging a police report against the division three days earlier, but has yet to receive any response from the leaders.

The letter, which was copied to the press, was addressed to BN and Umno chief Najib Abdul Razak and state liaison committee chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“We want the public to know, especially Prime Minister Najib, about the uncaring attitude of the party’s top leadership, especially those in Penang,” said Rose Akhmar when contacted.

“They have shown no concern about the oppression that is taking place in its grassroots and if the leaders continue to ignore these issues, I am afraid there will be members who will jump ship to show their protest,” he added.

Ahmad Ismail’s titles a ‘gimmick’

Rose Akhmar’s police report on Aug 8 in Butterworth alleged that the state leadership had failed in its duty to inform members about the division's AGM.

He was also among four division representatives who lodged police reports on July 9 on the same allegations.

Rose Akhmar and the other representatives hold the state leadership responsible for the problem and alleged that he had only received a notice on Friday, Aug 6, a day before the AGM, which he flatly refused to accept.

Meanwhile,  Rose Akhmar in his letter to Najib urged the Umno chief to investigate emerging problems in the Bukit Bendera division.

“We hope for your integrity and concern to consider my request for the sake of the party, religion, race and country,” he added.

The Kg Mutiara branch was also upset that former Bukit Bendera chief Ahmad Ismail ( left in pic ) was showered with two heroic titles - the ' Bintang Perkasa Melayu Jati ' and ' Wira Bangsa ' - at the AGM.

Rose Akhmar considers the action a “gimmick” by Ahmad himself, although the latter had decided to withdraw from contesting the division’s leadership post.

At the AGM, Umno state information chief Musa Syed Fadhil had dismissed the rumbles against the state leadership from the Kg Mutiara branch members.

Musa had maintained that the AGM had been organised according to the rules, adding that the complainants should have written in to the state leadership with their grouses.

He also alleged that only one person has lodged a police report against the division, while Rose Akhmar had insisted that he had the mandate of his branch members.

Musa also played down the absence of Kg Mutiara delegates at the AGM, saying they “had other things to do”.