A total of 8 Umno leaders were spotted being part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s entourage to New York despite not being officially part of the Malaysian delegation for the 77h United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The individuals that tagged along include an Umno leader at the division level, thus raising questions even among other Umno leaders as to why they were there with Ismail.
As reported by Malaysiakini, the party leaders that joined the Prime Minister in New York are:
- Pahang Menteri Besar, Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail
- Melaka Investment, Industry and Entrepreneurial Development Exco, Ab Rauf Yusof
- Umno Information Chief, Shahril Sufian Hamdan
- Former Terengganu Menteri Besar, Ahmad Said
- Tanjung Piai Umno division chief, Jefridin Atan
- MP for Rompin, Hasan Arifin
- MP for Cameron Highlands, Ramli Mohd Nor
- Umno Kedah Deputy Chairman, Othman Aziz
Moreover, Malaysiakini also reported that according to Umno sources, several other leaders were also set to join the entourage but ultimately didn’t. These include Umno Vice President Khaled Nordin, its Secretary-General Ahmad Maslan and MP for Baling, Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahman.
Furthermore, most of the Umno leaders that joined Ismail Sabri in New York were not secretive about the matter by posting on social media regarding the trip to UNGA. Of course, given that these individuals were not part of the Malaysian delegation to the United Nations, many netizens took to social media to criticise them for tagging along to New York without the need to do so.
Some even said that the entourage is wasting taxpayers’ money by being there as the expenses for the trip could prove to be exorbitant. Among those that questioned Ismail’s entourage is Pulai MP Salahuddin Ayob who called for the Prime Minsiter’s Office (PMO) to explain the inclusion of Umno leaders on the trip to New York.
However, according to a source within the government sourced by Malaysiakini, the Umno leaders and other individuals invited by the Prime Minister to New York paid for their own expenses.
So, what do you guys think of the whole matter? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Also read: PM Ismail Sabri Makes History For Speaking In Bahasa Melayu At The UN General Assembly
