KUALA LUMPUR – Umno MPs currently supporting Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should not be misusing their executive positions in Perikatan Nasional to go against party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Datuk A. Kadir Jasin.
In a statement today, the veteran newsman said the way that the Umno “ministers, deputy ministers, and GLC chairmen” cluster use their position in the government to fight the party leadership does not put them in better standing than Zahid and the “court cluster”.
Kadir opined that rebel Umno MPs should either fight their cause using party channels or leave the party to form their own independent faction instead.
“The faction can support the PN government. Perhaps they can join Bersatu as well. Muhyiddin will be more than welcoming.
“PAS will be ready to accept them as members as long as the PN government survives,” he said.
The former Bersatu member said that not many will sympathise with Zahid should he lose his party president post.
“As former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said, he still loves Umno but does not trust Zahid.
“This is the reason Umno lost during the 2018 general election. Voters lost their trust in then Umno president and prime minister (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak.”
Kadir said if the Muhyiddin-supporting Umno MPs disagree with Zahid’s leadership and Najib’s influence in the party, the group should take them head on.
“Either they fight Zahid and his court cluster from inside, or leave the party. Using the government’s executive powers to slam their own party is wrong and an act of cowardice,” he said.
If this rebel group, he said, were daring and of high character, they would attend Umno’s Supreme Council meetings and debate face-to-face with Zahid and his faction.
“However, some among them who hold positions in the Supreme Council choose not to attend meetings.”
Kadir also slammed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for not manning up to debate Zahid as Umno’s vice-president.
“Now they are involved in using their executive power to pressure their own party given the Registrar of Societies (RoS)’ recent actions.
“It is very clear that the RoS’ directive regarding the postponement of Umno polls is a political act.
“Are they conspiring to use their executive powers to dispose of Zahid and his court cluster with the purpose of taking over the party?
“Or do they want Umno to be banned so that they can seize it by registering ‘Umno Baru’?” he asked.
Admitting that Umno does have trust issues under Zahid’s leadership, Kadir pointed out the Bagan Datuk MP’s ongoing cases and his links to opposition MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“His letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong supporting Anwar as a PM candidate went against Umno’s policy.
“However, for the Umno rebels who are part of the PN government and supporting Muhyiddin, their backstabbing of their own party is despicable and reduces their standing as leaders.
“Many will support them to dethrone the court cluster, but not through such means,” he said.
Kadir added that the resignation of two Umno ministers and several party members from GLC boards have only succeeded in weakening their positions instead. – The Vibes, August 9, 2021
