KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) components parties have expressed mixed feelings over Umno’s decision to “pull the plug” on the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.
According to Free Malaysia Today, MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon said Umno’s decision has not changed his party’s position, stating that the party will continue supporting the PN government until the next general election.
“Unless BN makes a new, official decision, MCA will continue to support PN till the next election, in line with BN’s decision before this,” he was quoted as saying.
Following an intense four-hour meeting that stretched past midnight last night, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that his party is withdrawing its support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his administration with immediate effect.
The party also called on Muhyiddin to step down honourably and make way for an interim prime minister who will focus on putting Malaysia back on track amid the Covid-19 pandemic, before a general election is called.
In the same FMT report, MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran was quoted as saying Umno’s push for Muhyiddin to step down would not succeed as none of the BN government ministers have agreed to resign.
“Umno is a mature party. When they were in power, the opposition demanded their prime minister to resign many times, but they did nothing because they knew it was just a demand,” he said.
Meanwhile, Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa alleged that Zahid’s announcement last night was not a decision made in the Umno Supreme Council meeting.
The Ketereh MP said he was informed of the matter by several Supreme Council members who attended the meeting, and claims that Zahid’s announcement did not reflect the decision of the meeting.
He said many Supreme Council members expressed discontent over Zahid’s statement and spoke of their confusion.
“Why is such a thing happening over and over again? Something else was discussed but something else was summarised.
“Twenty-five Supreme Council members spoke in the meeting. The situation was quite calm and they gave their honest opinion.
“Of course, there were different views. However, there was no clear consensus, and no votes were taken,” he said today in a Facebook post.
“In fact, the discussion did not even touch on Umno leaving the PN government, as was speculated earlier.”
Annuar urged the Umno president explain the party’s true stand and to come out with a statement immediately.
“Sooner or later, the truth will come out.”
Annuar, who is not a member of the party’s Supreme Council, had a public fallout with Zahid after he was sacked as BN secretary-general at the beginning of this year. – The Vibes, July 8, 2021
