Mat Taib: Umno has lost its potency, Pakatan better
Earlier, Muhammad spoke of his dream of seeing Shah Alam as the only Malay city in the world, but lamented its lack of spiritual character, calling it his failed ambition.
Zurairi AR and Md, Izwan, TMI
Hours after officially joining PAS, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib went on the campaign trail last night and said he had jumped parties because Umno had lost its potency to work for the people.
Standing right in the middle of the state capital that he helped develop, the former Selangor mentri besar said PAS could help make his vision of Shah Alam as the crown jewel city of Malay and Muslim culture come true.
“It is time … Umno has lost its potency,” Muhammad said as he joined Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders on stage in the rally in Shah Alam.
“I believe PR has the ability, and it can carry on the continuity of BN’s rule to a higher level,” he added to cheers from the predominantly Malay crowd.
The former Umno strongman, popularly known as Mat Taib, appeared nervous in front of the crowd last night, his first public appearance after losing his Cabinet post in a 2009 reshuffle by Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Muhammad was not spared from being teased for his former affiliation as PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu mentioned jokingly Umno and BN’s misdeeds during his time in the ruling coalition.
Earlier, Muhammad spoke of his dream of seeing Shah Alam as the only Malay city in the world, but lamented its lack of spiritual character, calling it his failed ambition.
He described Islam as a “religion of cities”, a point that was also made by PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa in his campaign to capture the administrative capital Putrajaya.
