KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has addressed the alleged conspiracy within Umno to dethrone him as president, telling members to respect the party constitution that ensured his election into the top post.
This follows a claim by sacked Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman that there were internal attempts led by some of the party senior leaders to oust Zahid.
The president claimed to have no knowledge of any such meetings discussing his fate, but said any attempts to remove him must go through the proper channel, and not through a back door.
“We must respect the party constitution,” he told reporters at the court complex here today.
“If someone is appointed by the delegates and there is a request (pertaining to a person’s position), there are party rules that either allow or disallow such that person from holding on to his position.”
In a series of shocking revelations made by Tajuddin yesterday, the Pasir Salak MP had among other things claimed there were movements within Umno to topple Zahid as the “big boss”.
Tajuddin had alleged that the movement was led by Umno number two Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who supposedly colluded with Zahid’s predecessor and close ally Datuk Seri Najib Razak to organise a high level meeting in May 2020.
“We made a memorandum, asking Zahid to step down in a proper manner for the sake of Umno. Tok Mat was there, Najib was there, and (Datuk Seri Mohamed) Khaled Nordin was also there. Many were present.
“We concluded it’s better for him (Zahid) to step down,” Tajuddin had said, adding that the plan later collapsed after Tok Mat backed out.
Despite this, he went on to call for Zahid’s resignation as president, claiming the latter has become a liability for Umno amid his ongoing corruption cases.
The embattled Tajuddin also revealed that Zahid had led a group of party lawmakers to sign statutory declarations (SDs) to back opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister during the political crisis in 2020.
Tajuddin said he is a “living witness” of the existence of the purported documents, claiming to have signed the SD, alongside other leaders including Zahid and Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the latter of whom later confirmed the matter.
Asked to comment on this, Zahid did not respond directly other than saying that he would leave it up to party members to decide for themselves if there are any truths to the allegation.
Zahid said while he respected the views offered by Tajuddin, he reminded the latter that he is no longer a member of the Supreme Council after being sacked on June 21.
Separately, he said Umno’s disciplinary board will initiate an investigation into Tajuddin for going rogue should a report be lodged.
“Whatever recommendation made by the disciplinary board will be considered and finalised by the Supreme Council.” – The Vibes, June 28, 2022
