The World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today was swarmed with thousands of Umno members, who had come for a briefing on the party’s plans for the next general election.
Also seen were jailed former prime minister Najib Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor, their children, and his lawyers Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Zaid Ibrahim.
The briefing is to be carried out by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also expected to talk about Najib’s prison sentence, which began on Tuesday.
The halls of WTC were decked with banners of Najib, reading: “Bossku, kami bersamamu” (Bossku, we are with you), “Pray for Najib”, and “Ini Pendakwaan Politik” (this is political prosecution).
Najib’s eldest son told the crowd that while the outcome had been expected, it was still hard for the family to accept it.
“We feel as if we were kicked and slapped many times. That was how painful it was for us,” said Datuk Nizar Najib.
He said despite Najib being jailed his family would have to remain strong.
Nizar, who is Pekan Umno Youth chief urged Umno members to stay strong.