Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak rapped several former leaders who had betrayed UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) in their bid to achieve their personal agenda.

Without naming anyone, Najib said the leaders, including one who was deemed a statesman, had even been willing to befriend those who were once his enemies in order to fight and topple UMNO and BN leaders.

Speaking at UMNO's 71st anniversary celebration at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium here last night, the UMNO president said:

"Who would have thought that a couple of former leaders of this country, including a statesman who we once respected, would befriend and abet the enemies and commit betrayal of our party?"

Najib also said that the leaders were also the ones who once taught and guided UMNO members to hate DAP and called it a chauvinist and racist party which hated the Malays and Islam.

"What's more saddening is that the statesman is even willing to eat his words, to kiss and make up with the enemies of UMNO, the party which he helmed for so many years, for the sake of achieving his own personal agenda," he said.

In his speech, Najib also expressed appreciation to former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for his loyalty to UMNO and BN.

"Thank you Pak Lah for showing a good example on how a former party president should act and to remain loyal to the party which you once led," he said while calling on all UMNO members to continue protecting and defending the party. -- Bernama