KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s bombshell on Umno’s statutory declarations (SD) supporting opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last year, reaffirms that betrayal and personal agendas were responsible for derailing Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) efforts to reclaim Putrajaya, following the Sheraton Move.
PKR’s information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said in a statement that Tajuddin’s tell-all press conference today validated PH’s efforts to regain the people’s mandate that was given to it during the general elections in 2018.
“Based on his statement today, it was true that we did have the numbers to retake the government after people’s mandate was stolen through Sheraton Move,” Shamsul said.
Shamsul said the opposition, especially Anwar Ibrahim as its leader, faced ridicule after he announced that it had “strong, formidable, and convincing” numbers to take the prime minister’s post.
During the presser today, the embattled Tajuddin revealed that he is a “living witness” to the SDs signed last year.
Taking a swipe at Umno’s “No DAP, No Anwar” stance, Tajuddin said: “I’m a living witness. I didn’t want to sign it at first, but I was urged to.”
Tajuddin also hinted that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was among those who supported Anwar’s ascension then.
“We had to respect the president, right? We couldn’t reject the president,” Tajuddin said.
However, Tajuddin insisted that there were not enough MPs who signed the SDs to back Anwar as prime minister, but he disclosed that several top Umno leaders – Zahid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz – were among those who signed on.
In response, Shamsul said Tajuddin’s statement today reveals what the opposition had known all the while, whereby betrayal and personal agendas derailed efforts to retake the federal government.
Shamsul also took a swipe at the Umno politicians who are facing graft charges in court.
“We emphasise now as we did then there cannot be any compromise on those facing trials,” Shamsul said.
“They must have their day in court as the law must be allowed to take its course.” – The Vibes, June 27, 2022
