KUALA LUMPUR – Ketereh Umno chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa has slammed his Kelantan party chapter after it made a unilateral decision two days ago to sever ties with Bersatu and issue an ultimatum to PAS.
Annuar said the state liaison has no locus standi to make such decisions, especially as it goes against the stand of the Umno Supreme Council.
The council had previously decided that Umno will remain supportive of Bersatu and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government until the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the general election.
The motion, supported by a majority of the party’s 189 divisions, is expected to be formalised in its general assembly at its headquarters this weekend.
Speaking to The Vibes, Annuar said his division will stick to the Supreme Council’s decision, which includes not working with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and opposition party DAP.
“You must understand that state liaisons have no power to make policy decisions, what more if it is not in line with the Supreme Council,” he said today.
“As far as Ketereh is concerned, we are sticking to the council’s stand. No Anwar, no DAP. Support the PN government but not become a PN member.”
Annuar, who is also Federal Territories minister, said the door for negotiation with Bersatu and PN must remain open, considering Umno is still part of the ruling government.
On Wednesday, Kelantan Umno had said it is officially cutting ties with the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin-led Bersatu, a decision supported by 12 of its 14 divisions. Only Ketereh did not agree to the move, while Tanah Merah is still suspended.
The state chapter also told its Muafakat Nasional partner PAS to make a clear and urgent choice between Bersatu and Umno ahead of the general election, while stating its support for party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Zahid had urged party members not to let differences of opinion split the party, and that they should help repair the party that almost sank after the 14th general election in May 2018.
Annuar also took a swipe at Umno’s Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub, whom he believes is behind Kelantan Umno’s move.
Jazlan was the first of two Umno MPs to formally withdraw support for Muhyiddin on January 10, with Padang Rengas lawmaker Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz making a similar decision three days later.
“Jazlan is free to do anything, that is understandable. But he burnt the bridge when he withdrew his support for the government, not knowing an emergency would be proclaimed (soon after).
“Now, he wants to drag everybody else (with him),” said Annuar. – The Vibes, March 26, 2021
