KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional allowing court cases against Umno leaders to continue is a flashpoint in the ruling coalition, said Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Ahmad, who himself faces money-laundering charges, said the issue is more significant than Umno’s discontent over government appointments.
“One more dissatisfaction is not so much about positions, but that the government of today is continuing the cruelty of the past government.
“This should not be... these cases brought to court were the cruelty from the time of (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad, (former attorney-general Tan Sri) Tommy Thomas and (former MACC chief) Latheefa Koya,” he said in a dialogue on Monday, as quoted by Malaysiakini.
“Dr Mahathir is no longer in the government, and I don't know where Thomas and Latheefa have gone, but why allow these cases to continue?”
Ahmad’s remarks comes ahead of an Umno Supreme Council meeting tonight that will decide on the party’s political cooperation with Perikatan Nasional, namely with splinter party Bersatu.
Earlier this week, the bulk of Umno’s 147 divisions wanted to break ties with Bersatu over a slew of disagreements, including allegations of “member-buying”.
Yesterday, Ahmad also said that, with Covid-19 vaccines expected to roll-out next month and millions to be inoculated in the months following, there is no longer a reason to postpone the general election.
He said expediting the polls is vital for the PN government, which lacks any formidable majority or stability.
Meanwhile, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal said a group of Umno's top leaders, including its president, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had used grassroots members as “tools” to absolve themselves of prosecution in the courts.
Wan Ahmad Fayshal told Sinar Harian that the Umno leaders had only used the voices of the grassroots members to fulfil their personal agenda.
He added that Bersatu is being used as a scapegoat to speed up the general election, even though the road for negotiations is open.
“They are using Bersatu as an excuse to expedite the election, even though they can actually resolve all issues on seats and other differences, which can be discussed.
“Umno has many groups, but the group that stands out most is the one involved in court cases that have played many roles... This is actually the hidden matter behind the rise of grassroots voices in rejecting Bersatu,” he was quoted as saying. – The Vibes, January 6, 2021
