It’s ‘amateur hour’ in Umno now, says Khairy after Apandi’s supreme council U-turn

(The Star) – Minutes after Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali announced he was declining the Umno supreme council post, former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) called the move “embarrassing” and described it as “amateur hour”.

“The initial appointment was disappointing. This is now just embarrassing,” tweeted Khairy on his Twitter page on Saturday (July 14).

“We need to be a credible opposition. This is just amateur hour,” he said.

Khairy’s harsh words comes hours after he initially congratulated the new Umno appointments on Twitter.

Mohamed Apandi decided not to take up a position in the Umno supreme council, saying there is too much negativity surrounding his appointment.

“After much deep thought, I feel it is unreasonable for me to accept the appointment as an Umno supreme council member.

“In my mind, my appointment will be surrounded by the negativity that may be linked to actions and decisions made during my tenure as a judge and the attorney general,” he said in a brief statement on Saturday (July 14) night.

He earlier described his Umno supreme council member appointment as coming home.

He told New Straits Times that his return is like “ikan pulang ke lubuk“, a Malay proverb that means that one who travels never forgets one’s home.

Following criticism of him being appointed as an Umno supreme council member, Mohamed Apandi said that his role should not be an issue as he is no longer the attorney general.

He said that the appointment must be seen in the context of him being able to exercise his fundamental right to association after he left the civil service.

Mohamed Apandi was referring to a person’s fundamental right of association enshrined under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.