KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, a vocal critic of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has been stripped of his position as the party’s election director.
In a statement today, Zahid said Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who is fondly known as Tok Mat, has been entrusted with the role effective immediately.
The restructuring of the election department, according to Zahid, is necessary to strengthen the organisation at every level of the party, as well as the grassroots.
“With Mohamad’s position as deputy chairman of Barisan Nasional (BN), it will ease the decision-making process on matters relating to the elections, which involve all BN components.
“Umno would like to express its appreciation and thanks to Tajuddin, who previously held the responsibility as Umno election director,” he said today.
Mohamad is currently BN and Umno’s war room head.
The announcement today comes on the back of intense infighting within Umno, with the party seemingly split into two – one faction led by Zahid who is in favour of pulling out of the government, and the other comprising mainly MPs with government positions.
The embattled Umno president is understood to be taking measures to ensure unity within the top echelons of the party.
Previously in January, as tensions were beginning to grow within Umno, Zahid had removed Tan Sri Annuar Musa – who was then showing leanings towards Bersatu – as BN secretary-general.
Tajuddin, who was recently sacked by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government as chairman of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, has been openly criticising Zahid in recent weeks.
He was previously known to be a strong supporter of Zahid.
Tajuddin is believed to be part of the “ministers’ camp” that wants Umno to continue supporting Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the PN government until the health pandemic is under control.
In a leaked recording of a Supreme Council meeting last week to decide on the withdrawal of support, Tajuddin was heard slamming the party leadership for pulling the plug now, saying Umno needed more time to prepare for the polls.
He also accused the party of going against the general assembly when it announced it would only leave Muhyiddin, deviating from its resolution to fully withdraw from the government when the time was right. – The Vibes, July 13, 2021
