Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos has embarrassed the Malay party by promising to pay RM1,000 each to the party's branch chiefs, said veteran Rais Yatim.
"Jamal's announcement to pay RM1,000 to every delegate (who attended) a meeting has shamed Umno. As he has confirmed that Umno is a party that practised money politics," he posted on his Twitter today.
Rais, who is also the adviser to the government on social and cultural affairs, likened Jamal's action to practising money politic, abuse of power, and buying influence.
Later in an interview with Asto Awani, he said: "What Jamal did indirectly confirmed the public's perception that Umno is a party that is involved in money politics."
"It worries me if such an example is displayed publicly,” he said.
Jamal came under fire on Wednesday for promising all 646 divisional delegates that they would get RM1,000 each, which he claimed was to make up for the cancellation of a holiday trip to Dubai promised to them.
He also said the money to be given out to all the 646 Umno delegates from his division came from sponsors and savings.
He added that the money was initially meant to fund a study trip to Dubai.
The Wednesday meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Selangor Umno liaison chief Noh Omar.
Noh said if he was a division chief, he would give each branch chief RM2,000, and not just RM1,000.
In the interview with Astro Awani, Rais also took issue with Jamal for raising the matter at a time when the party was facing problems.
"We never had a division chief made such a confession (paying out money to Umno delegates)...
"I have to ask: did you (Jamal) all this while use the money to go on trips for your own trivial enjoyment?"
"The people can make comparison. Why not use the money to help the orphans or provide a tuition class for the community?" he added.
Rais said the Umno supreme council should warn all its leaders to stop (practising money politics).
"All the while that I am in Umno, I never (saw) a leader admitting (he or she had) allocated money... So, the supreme council needs to do something," he said.
