Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders not nominated as candidates for the 13th General Election (GE13) should respect the decision made by the top leadership in not picking them, said Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
He said anyone calling himself a leader should be able to face reality when his or her "time was up".
"We must respect the decision made by the top leadership. We should not, after having been a leader for a long time, suddenly decide to go against the party just because we have been dropped," he told reporters at his office here today.
He said this when asked to comment on the action of some BN leaders and former leaders who opted to go the independent route because they were dropped as candidates for GE13, polling of which is on May 5.
Rais, a three-term MP of Jelebu who was also dropped from the BN candidate list this time around, said the BN leadership should also be quick to act on the issue of party hopping.
"To me, one must learn a lesson from those who jump, regardless if he is a top or moderate-level leader.
Furthermore, he said efforts must be made to prevent the leader's followers from following suit and deviate from the struggle of the party.
"To me, a general must not run away from a fight except if he is followed by many who are like minded. "I regard the action of a leader who jumps ship and becomes an independent alone without being followed by others as one who will not be well-received," he said.
Rais added that in the world of struggle "we should draw from the positive values of our group."
Rais, 71, who has served under five prime ministers since Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and now under Abdul Razak's son Najib, said:" This is a difficult thing (being dropped)." Hal ini memang sukar."
"But we must be able to face reality, because a person who leads cannot forever remain as an elected representative or minister, or hold a certain post," said Rais, whose political career started off as parliamentary secretary to the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry in 1974 at th age of 32.
He said BN and Umno leaders who were dropped should not opt to desert at crucial moments.
He said these leaders after gaining so much while they were in the party should not "bite the hands that feed them."
"We should not practice such a stand. We should not follow one or two who have done so, namely, disgruntled leaders," he said.
He said they must be aware that their actions "will be scrutinised, credibility questioned and cannot face those who had been supporting them all along."
He added:"As an 'old timer' in the government and party, in a struggle there is sadness, happiness, losses and profits but we must not disappoint the Prime Minister who has fostered the spirit of togetherness for us under the 1Malaysia concept, his deeds and other positive steps."
Bernama
Mon Apr 22 2013
Malaysia, Uzbekistan akan tingkatkan kerjasama ekonomi - Tengku Zafrul
Malaysia dan Uzbekistan akan memperbaharui komitmen mereka untuk mengukuhkan hubungan ekonomi sempena hubungan diplomatik selama empat dekad, kata Menteri Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Kestabilan politik bawa pembangunan dan kemajuan di Sarawak - TPM Ahmad Zahid
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata kestabilan politik telah membawa banyak pembangunan dan kemajuan di Sarawak.
AWANI Ringkas: Faisal Halim tunjuk perkembangan positif
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Kerjasama Malaysia-Uzbekistan tawar potensi amat besar - PM Anwar
Kerjasama antara Malaysia dan Uzbekistan menawarkan potensi amat besar yang boleh mentransformasikan dan memodenkan pembangunan ekonomi kedua-dua negara serta menarik pelaburan, kata Perdana Menteri D
Warga emas tunai haji selepas lima kali terima 'jemputan'
Walaupun tanpa peneman, namun ia tidak menghalang dirinya daripada menjadi Duyufurrahman (tetamu Allah) bagi musim haji 1445H/2024.
Pemimpin Israel berpecah kerana tadbir urus Gaza pasca perang
Netanyahu juga berada di bawah tekanan Washington untuk mengakhiri konflik dengan segera.
Haji: Petugas media main peranan penting tangkis berita tidak benar
Perkara itu perlu bagi memberi gambaran sebenar apa yang berlaku di Tanah Suci kepada rakyat Malaysia.
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [19 Mei 2024]
Antara fokus AWANI Pagi bersama Nursyazwani Saiful Sham & Azib Zikry
- Serangan Ulu Tiram: Tiada kaitan kumpulan pengganas
- Menjelang HAWANA 2024: Kesihatan mental petugas media
- The Experts: Pelakon hebat, genre berbeza
- Serangan Ulu Tiram: Tiada kaitan kumpulan pengganas
- Menjelang HAWANA 2024: Kesihatan mental petugas media
- The Experts: Pelakon hebat, genre berbeza
Mangsa banjir di Perak menurun pagi ini, 100 mangsa masih di PPS
Lima pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) masih beroperasi di dua daerah terjejas iaitu empat di Taiping dan satu di Kuala Kangsar.
Klopp kini di media sosial
Bekas pengendali Borussia Dortmund berusia 56 tahun itu yang kini mempunyai akaun Instagram telah mengumpul lebih 750,000 pengikut.
Bukan koman-koman, PRK Kemaman disifatkan ''battle of honour''
Pilihan Raya Kecil Kemaman disifatkan sebagai battle of honour yang menjadi medan penting untuk menilai dinamik dan landskap politik negara.
PRK Pelangai: Peluang PN, BN menang setara - Takiyuddin
Takiyuddin optimis PN mempunyai kelebihan, impak daripada strategi pecutan akhir yang dilakukan parti itu.
Kalau BN kalah PRK Pelangai, PH kena bertanggungjawab - Mohamad Sabu
Menjadi tanggungjawab jentera PH memastikan kemenangan calon BN di PRK Pelangai.
PRK Pelangai: Bapa ingatkan Amizar jangan tabur janji bulan bintang
"Usah berjanji bulan bintang semata-mata untuk meraih undi", itu pesan bapa kepada calon Barisan Nasional (BN) pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Pelangai Datuk Amizar Abu Adam.
BN hilang 27,000 undi Melayu pada PRK - Isham Jalil
BN kehilangan 27,000 undi Melayu pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Parlimen Pulai dan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Simpang Jeram yang berlangsung pada Sabtu.
PRK: PH mungkin hilang Simpang Jeram jika undi BN beralih - KJ
Khairy Jamaluddin tidak menolak kemungkinan Pakatan Harapan (PH) hilang kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Simpang Jeram.
'UMNO bertanding sendiri, itu pandangan peribadi saya' - Azalina
Azalina berkata, kenyataannya berkenaan UMNO boleh menimbang bertanding atas tiket sendiri pada pilihan raya selepas ini berbanding menggunakan logo BN adalah pandangan peribadinya.
Pasca PRN Selangor: Perang sudah tamat, kini masa berkhidmat untuk rakyat
Persoalan siapa memiliki 56 kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) dalam Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) Selangor telah berakhir dan mandat telah diberikan rakyat kepada pemimpin yang dipilih.
Saarani nafi keluar kenyataan ada perubahan 'besar' jika BN tidak diangkat MB Negeri Sembilan
Saarani berkata perbuatan mewujudkan kenyataan palsu itu langsung tidak membawa sebarang manfaat kepada negara serta rakyat.
Usaha PM bangunkan negara tidak harus ternoktah dengan keputusan PRN - Pemuda UMNO Kota Raja
Mohd Zaffarollah menegaskan biarpun UMNO mengalami kekalahan teruk, namun ia tidak seharusnya mengubah apa-apa keputusan menyertai Kerajaan Perpaduan.