Umno Supreme Council members remain mum after secret meet

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno Supreme Council members have remained tight-lipped following their discreet meeting at Wisma Perwira, which ended just before midnight.

It is understood that the meet ended around 11.30pm with the leaders, including party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, leaving the premises shortly after wrapping up talks, which started at around 9pm.

Members of the media near Wisma Perwira’s main entrance did not see any of the leaders’ vehicles exiting the area, and it is believed that they left using alternative exit routes.

Umno is expected to release a statement following the meeting, but it is uncertain whether it will do so at press time.

According to a source, the leaders gathered to urge Zahid to not make a rash decision to leave Perikatan Nasional, following the Umno president’s proposal to pull the party out of the PN government this week.

“The meeting attended by high-ranking Umno officials is to ask Zahid to not make a rash decision regarding the future of the party,” said the insider.

Several MPs, some of whom are Supreme Council members, told Zahid and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that a change in government in the middle of a pandemic is counterproductive.

Other leaders also said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should be allowed to continue to lead the country, but with a proper succession plan in place seeing that the Bersatu president has been unwell and in hospital for almost a week.

This opens the discussion to appoint Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as a deputy prime minister candidate.

Among the leaders who attended the meet is Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

Umno leaders gather together and separately

Prior to the discreet meeting, several meetings were said to have taken place around the capital, as leaders and hopefuls try to get the majority support of the 35 Supreme Council members to either leave or remain in PN.

Zahid and Najib were said to have met several members in small groups at the party headquarters to get their buy-in to break ties with Bersatu and form a new coalition, including with PKR.

Hishammuddin, a dark horse candidate for prime minister if the majority of the 37 Umno MPs stick with PN, was also said to be at several meet-ups.

These separate meets show a stark division in the party’s future. – The Vibes, July 5, 2021