FORMER Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman will boycott Umno in the upcoming state elections after the party failed to respond to his appeals over his six-year suspension.

The former deputy minister, who was also axed from the party’s Supreme Council last year, said he submitted four appeals after he was suspended last October.

“Why has there been no response? If you want me to campaign then lift my suspension, otherwise it would be difficult to do so with my hands and feet tied,” he told FMT.

He added that he was not going appeal for a fifth time and had decided not to help Umno candidates ahead of the Aug 12 polls in six states.

Last month, the former Prasarana chairman urged Umno to reinstate his membership so he could help the party campaign in the state polls.

Tajuddin said he needed his “keris” back to help Umno “go to war”.

He went on to question the suspension which he felt was due to his criticisms of the party.

“What sort of party would it become if it cannot be reprimanded?”

However, Tajuddin said he was not upset with the party, having been a member for 50 years, but that he was just disappointed with the current leadership.

He claimed that the current leaders were only looking out for their own interests.

“They only want positions. They know the party is in bad shape but they don’t care. They remain just as confident (about remaining in power) as they were prior to the 15th general election.”

In the nationwide polls last year, Umno suffered its worst electoral defeat in history, winning only 26 seats out of the 120 constituencies it contested in. – FMT