KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan denies reports claiming Tan Sri Annuar Musa was sacked as secretary-general for Barisan Nasional (BN) and Muafakat Nasional (MN).
Instead, Ahmad said the Ketereh MP is merely being “replaced”, with the position now to be taken up by himself.
“Traditionally, the secretary-general of Umno will hold the same position in BN. This is the reason the post has been given to me as Umno secretary-general, and I will now also be responsible for MN.
“I would like to stress here that Annuar is only being replaced. The president (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) said this clearly earlier,” he told reporters at Umno’s headquarters today.
Zahid had called for a meeting with all Umno division leaders today to discuss the party’s direction, a meeting in which he also announced Annuar’s replacement.
“The president expressed his thanks for the service provided by Annuar,” Ahmad said.
Earlier today, multiple reports quoted sources as saying that Annuar was sacked from his secretary-general positions in BN and MN.
Annuar, ostensibly unaware of the decision, took to Twitter to share a WhatsApp message he sent to Zahid thanking the latter for the opportunity given to him.
“President, I was informed by the press that I have been sacked (from the positions). I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to helm the two posts,” he said in his message.
It is speculated that the decision to replace Annuar comes after several Umno leaders and warlords demanded he leave the party and join Bersatu over his adamant defence of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.
Among other things, Annuar has steadfastly defended Muhyiddin Yassin’s position as prime minister, and maintained that Umno should continue cooperating with Bersatu, despite dissatisfaction from within.
Asked to elaborate on this, Ahmad said: “I don’t wish to comment on the matter.” – The Vibes, January 5, 2021
