AN UMNO leader said the Dubai Move exposé goes to show that there needs to be an overhaul of the Community Communications Department (J-KOM).
UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said there was no need for J-KOM deputy director-general Datuk Ismail Yusop fan the Dubai Move issue which was the latest reported plot to topple the unity government.
“It is more appropriate for J-KOM to focus on the ‘backdoor government’ disaster narrative that will not come to fruition,” he said in a post on Facebook.
Describing Ismail’s analysis of the situation as “shallow”, Puad pointed out that it had caused the government to become defensive due to the mention of certain names within the government bloc.
He also noted that J-KOM’s image had taken a further plunge following the “A&W” scandal, possibly referring to two department officers who were linked to an allegedly lewd videoclip that went viral on social media recently.
“So it is very appropriate for J-KOM to be thoroughly overhauled, undergo a total rebranding exercise and be led by those who are more competent,” Puad reckoned.
Puad was the former Special Affairs Department (JASA) director-general. JASA was disbanded in November 2020 and was rebranded as J-KOM.
On Tuesday (Jan 2), Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed the existence of a plot to topple the unity government.
Dubbed the “Dubai Move”, Zahid said the plot not only involves Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders but also government backbenchers as well.
On Saturday, Ismail had claimed the Dubai Move arose during a recent holiday taken by PN leaders, as well as government backbenchers, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He also alleged that this came about following a visit to Dubai by the MPs, adding that “agents” were actively trying to convince people that by 2024 the Anwar-led unity government would collapse completely with a specified date and deadline. – Jan 3, 2024
Main pic credit: Sumberkini
