KUALA LUMPUR – Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi has chided the government over the appointment of Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu as the prime minister’s special adviser, saying the Bersatu No. 2 should have been minister seeing there is a vacancy.
“Is it because Peja is not qualified? Maybe the spot is reserved for a turncoat Umno MP. I forgot that it is in the ‘scheme of things’.”
Puad took aim at Faizal, better known as Peja, after the deposed Perak menteri besar was confirmed as special adviser to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Faizal will be “advising the prime minister on all matters related to community welfare, communications, and socio-economic affairs”.
Puad, in his Facebook post today, said the government should have appointed an expert, a professional, or an experienced statesman as adviser to the prime minister.
“Why appoint Peja who lost his confidence motion in Perak (last year)?
“In the time of a pandemic, health or economic advisers are more necessary. Not an adviser for community, communications and socio-economics. It does not seem serious.
“Moreover, it is a ministerial rank. The people know that the PM does not accept advice. Not to mention the advice from people like Peja. Even the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree was ignored.”
Umno’s withdrawal of support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government and Muhyiddin has created a political maelstrom as some senior members within the party appear to remain in government.
Less than an hour before Umno’s public announcement three days ago, Umno’s Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah resigned as energy and natural resources minister.
He said his decision to quit took into consideration his party’s decisions and stand.
After that, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party’s Supreme Council has resoundingly agreed to fully withdraw support for Muhyiddin and the PN government.
He said the council agreed to no longer defend Muhyiddin and the government following their “failure” to table and vote on emergency ordinances before August 1 as decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
He added that he had enough statutory declarations from among his party’s MPs to see to the PN administration’s collapse.
The following day, Muhyiddin announced that he will table a confidence motion in Dewan Rakyat in September to determine his majority support. – The Vibes, August 6, 2021
