GEORGE TOWN – The majority of the 13 Umno divisions in Penang has expressed support for party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in wanting Umno to end its alliance with Perikatan Nasional by next month.
An Umno official here said based on the latest assessment, 11 divisions have indicated their support.
The other two divisions have reserved their opinion as one has an MP who is serving in the cabinet, while the other supports the faction of Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, said the source.
These two divisions are the Kepala Batas Umno branch, whose chief Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican is also federal youth and sports minister and the constituency’s parliamentarian, while the Jelutong branch favours Hishammuddin, who is foreign minister.
Both divisions have remained silent while Zahid attempts to collect signatures in support of cutting ties with PN.
Umno is mired in what is believed to be a three-cornered split, with one led by Zahid, one by veterans aligned with the PN government, and one that backs Hishammuddin.
Hishammuddin is a dark horse for the prime minister position should Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin step down.
Umno had earlier this year quit as a member of the PN coalition, but remained PN-friendly to help maintain the federal government.
Tasek Gelugor Umno division chief Datuk Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor said his division will support Zahid, as decided during the recent Umno general assembly.
“We should follow the general assembly’s motion, which called for the party to exit from the relationship with PN because its component, Bersatu, has mistreated Umno.”
Calling it a “bottom-up” decision process, Yusoff said the Umno Supreme Council should uphold the stance of party members.
Umno is fed up with Bersatu trying to sabotage the former from serving the people, he said, adding that Umno has the capacity to save the country from its current three crises.
“We need the wisdom of a real Umno leadership to tackle the healthcare, economic and political crises, which have erupted in the past 16 months.”
Yusoff claimed that he has yet to receive any allocation as a PN government elected representative, and this has hindered his ability to serve the people better, especially during the pandemic.
“Bersatu continues to play politics under the shadow of the pandemic.”
However, the Penang opposition leader assured that he will continue the struggle on his own, and has plans to establish a food bank in the parliamentary constituency of Tasek Gelugor and his state constituency, Sg Dua.
He said Umno has made it clear that it will pull away from PN not because it wants to work with DAP or PKR, but to strengthen its cooperation with PAS under Muafakat Nasional.
“We have declared no to DAP and PKR. We are just disappointed with Bersatu.” – The Vibes, July 4, 2021
