UMNO AGM The top leaders in Umno were told today not to become a mouthpiece for the opposition and thereby weaken their own party.

This was the message delivered by Tawau Umno division delegate Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan when debating the party president's policy speech at the Umno general assembly.

"Do not have bad faith, do not be influenced by the opposition into attacking our leaders," Tawfiq said.

"Sabah Umno is urging the members, regardless of whether they are deputy president or vice-president and are still active or retiring, that they must stop being a mouthpiece to attack our president," he said.

This would weaken the party and Umno would become too weak for the next general election, Tawfiq said.

"Please! The consequence of our party becoming weak will weaken us. We cannot afford to be weak in the election," he said.

Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin and vice-president Shafie Apdal have been vocal on the issues of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and RM2.6 billion donation in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s personal bank accounts.

Muhyiddin, who was denied the right to deliver the opening speech to the general assemblies of the Umno Wanita, Pemuda and Puteri wings, has called on Najib to take a break as prime minister pending the investigation into the RM2.6 billion scandal.

A leader who went to Sabah to tell the grassroots to be loyal to the president is now vocal to oust the president, Tawfiq said sarcastically, without naming the leader.

"Sabah Umno is surprised that a few leaders went to Sabah to urge Sabah to support the Umno central leadership (because) the leader who told us to be loyal is now on a roadshow to fight our (central) leader. We fail to understand it," he added.

He urged for a special disciplinary board be set up to stop anyone from criticising Najib, despite Umno having its own mechanism to deal with errant members

"We propose that a disciplinary committee be set up so that appropriate action can be taken to stop this virus.

"If not, the same thing will repeat," he noted.