KUALA LUMPUR – A letter purportedly by the Umno leadership informing Istana Negara of lawmakers’ endorsement of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister is fake, sources told The Vibes.
Several aides to the party’s top leaders confirmed the matter after the document, allegedly signed by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, began making the rounds on social media.
A source close to the Umno top brass said the letter, dated October 11 and addressed to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, did not have a reference number.
Also, a second signature said to be of Pekan MP and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is incomplete.
“Najib never signs off as Najib bin Razak – it’s always ‘bin Tun Abdul Razak’. And it’s Mohd Najib bin Abdul Razak,” said an Umno leader.
In the letter, Zahid informs the Agong that Umno’s stance is to support opposition leader Anwar until the end of the 14th parliamentary session “to avoid a general election during the Covid-19 outbreak and economic downturn”.
It alleged that Zahid, who is also Bagan Datuk MP, along with Najib and other Umno lawmakers have withdrawn their support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of rival party Bersatu, and that Anwar has their “undivided” support to take over the top job.
Secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, in a tweet today, reiterated Umno’s vow to strengthen Barisan Nasional, as well as consolidate the Muafakat Nasional partnership the party is in with PAS.
“(We have) no relationship with the leadership that cooperates with DAP, such as @anwaribrahim, Tun M," he said, referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Supreme Council member Tan Sri Annuar Musa, meanwhile, told The Vibes to “ask police and forensic (experts)” when queried on the letter.
Umno recently said it will review its working relationship with Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional administration, hot on the heels of Anwar’s audience with the Agong on Tuesday to show he has the numbers to form a new government.
However, the palace has said the PKR president did not provide the names of MPs purportedly backing his bid. – The Vibes, October 17, 2020
