KUALA LUMPUR – It is his style that major decisions be made collectively, said Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan in defence of party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Maslan shared on his social media channels that Zahid’s 14-day ultimatum given to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government to convene Parliament was a collective decision made by Umno’s political bureau.
Mesy Biro Politik secara maya pd Ahad 20/6/21 dihadiri oleh 25/26 orang kecuali 1 Naib Presiden (DS Mahdzir) yg kurang sihat
— Ahmad b Maslan (@ahmadmaslan) June 22, 2021
Pagi Isnin 21/6/21 Presiden keluarkan kenyataan media berhubung keputusan mesy 20/6
Style DS @DrZahidHamidi ialah keputusan besar dibuat secara bersama. pic.twitter.com/yJn2pJxat4
He added that only one of the bureau’s 26 members did not attend the virtual meeting last Sunday.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid was not feeling well, he said.
Ahmad Maslan’s supportive words came after former Perlis Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim’s criticism of Zahid.
“What is he (Zahid) going to do if Parliament is unable to convene after 14 days?”
In a press conference today, Shahidan said: “The rakyat are the ones asking for Parliament to sit soon, not Umno’s political bureau (issuing ultimatums instead).”
Earlier today, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Zahid’s call was not a view shared by the Supreme Council, but came from the party’s political bureau.
Ismail, who is also defence minister, said this means that the action to be taken by Umno should the call to reconvene Parliament not be heeded within the stated period has yet to be discussed by the Supreme Council.
Zahid yesterday gave PN two weeks to reconvene Parliament, failing which, Umno will call a Supreme Council meeting to discuss its next step.
In a statement, he said the Barisan Nasional lynchpin fully supports the Agong and Conference of Rulers’ decrees on a parliamentary sitting.
The government’s failure to heed the decrees is considered a form of rebellion and disrespect to the institution of the Malay rulers, he added. – The Vibes, June 22, 2021
