KOTA BARU: Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Md Alwi Che Ahmad has reminded party leaders to uphold the good image of newly-minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said all Umno members of parliament and leaders should get rid of their "old attitude" that could cause unhappiness among the public.

He cited the example of a viral video of Ismail Sabri's visit to Yan, Kedah, yesterday where the prime minister's vehicle was accompanied by a motorcade of no less than 40 cars.

Social media was also rife with images of the prime minister in a government jet accompanied by his entourage. 

"Like yesterday in Kedah, it went viral. There were dozens of cars following the prime minister's vehicle and also in the aircraft. It's good to accompany him but this is the old attitude.

"This is the kind of image that is causing the public to be upset with us so know your limits. You can follow but there is no need to show off," Alwi told reporters outside the Kelantan state assembly in Kota Darulnaim here today.

The Kok Lanas assemblyman said it would be difficult for Umno to reinvent its image if some leaders preferred to continue the old ways.

"Some people are saying 'that's how Umno is like when it is in power'. I'm just giving a brief reminder, not because I'm jealous.

"We all must give a proper welcome to the prime minister but that (in Kedah) was not the way to do it.

"It was so crowded around him (Ismail). There were too many people and so it went viral. Please take care of the prime minister's image if we want Umno to last for a long time.

"The prime minister is not wrong here. He can't chase everyone away and it is up to us to protect the party's image," he said.

Ismail Sabri drew criticism from Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders as well as some social media users after a set of pictures showing him posing with a group of Umno leaders in an official jet made the rounds, hours after he clocked in for his first day of work at the Prime Minister's Office.

It is understood that Ismail had flown to Kedah, where several areas were hard-hit by floods over the weekend.

The pictures showed Ismail on the jet accompanied by former Kedah menteri besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, Kuala Krau MP Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said and several others.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2021/08/720894/md-alwi-umno-must-shed-old-attitude-protect-new-pm