Najib: I never said Umno took up weapons to fight communists
PUCHONG: I never said that Umno literally took up arms to fight the communists in the past, said former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
In a post on Facebook, Najib urged the National Patriots Association (Patriots) not to take his speech to Jeli Umno members last week out of context.
“I never said Umno members took up arms to battle the communists. In the same speech, I also said that Umno fought the British on the Malayan Union issue.
“I also said that Umno fought the Indonesian Confrontation. What I meant was the spirit of fighting. There is difference between having a fighting spirit and carrying arms to fight,” he said.
He said that no Umno member died or sacrificed themselves in fighting the communists and claimed Najib’s statement had belittled the sacrifices made by the security forces then.
Najib, who is also Pekan MP, said that he did not belittle the sacrifices made by the security forces then in getting rid of the communist threat.
“First of all, we have not forgotten the sacrifices made by our security forces during the Malayan Emergency.
“The whole nation and I are indebted to them forever,” he said.
Defending Umno, Najib said it was the party and Barisan Nasional’s firm policy on the communists that led to the latter’s defeat.
“If not Umno, was it DAP that fought the communists then?” he asked.
By G Vinod
