[UPDATED] Najib, Zahid rushing to meet PM at Seri Perdana: sources

KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are expected to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, following an emergency meeting with Umno’s division chiefs this morning.

The two leaders are heading to the prime minister’s official residence in Seri Perdana, Putrajaya, to meet with Ismail Sabri.

The private talks are taking place away from Umno’s headquarters, where division chiefs and members of the media have been stationed at since 11am.

The meeting with the prime minister was confirmed by several senior Umno leaders who believed that Najib and Zahid’s talks with Ismail Sabri needed to be discreet.

According to Sinar Harian, several Umno leaders believed to be from the party’s “top five” posts were seen entering the official residence this evening.

The leaders included Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who was spotted at around 6pm.

A source told the local daily that the leaders were expected to hold a meeting at 8pm.

Earlier today, Zahid had chaired a meeting with dozens of Umno division leaders, in an apparent bid to pressure Ismail Sabri to intervene in Najib’s final appeal against his SRC International conviction.

Majority of the division chiefs not showing up this morning, a source told The Vibes, is an indication of their reluctance to ask the prime minister to interfere in the judicial process.

In the morning meeting which was called by Zahid, it is understood that only 73 of the 191 Umno division leaders had attended, the majority of them aligned to the president and his predecessor Najib.

However, The Vibes was informed that the meeting also became heated after a minority of leaders had opposed the demands to interfere in the judicial process.

It is understood that Zahid will not be returning to Menara Dato Onn due to “developments” at Seri Perdana, several division chiefs indicated.

The division heads were also seen leaving the party headquarters at around 7pm.

For the record, Ismail Sabri, who is Umno vice-president, was not present at today’s pow-wow.

A source familiar with the matter said the leaders implored Ismail Sabri to use his power to seek a three-month extension from chief justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat for Najib to engage new legal representatives.

This comes amid attempts made by Najib’s defence team led by Hisyam Teh Poh Teik to obtain an extension to the trial at the Federal Court to allow them to adequately prepare and argue their case.

After failing in his bid, Hisyam also applied to discharge himself from the case, which was rejected by the court.

Najib subsequently discharged his solicitors from Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, leaving Hisyam and two others – Low Wei Loke and Kee Wei Lon – as the sole remaining co-counsels.

Speaking to The Vibes, another Umno source said it is unlikely that Ismail Sabri will accede to Najib and Zahid's demands, having previously, on many occasions, maintained that he would not interfere in the judicial process. – The Vibes, August 22, 2022