GEORGE TOWN – The political quagmire between Bersatu and Umno has spread to Penang with both now openly exchanging invectives at each other.
It began when Penang Umno confirmed its support for party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Bersatu president.
State Umno chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadhir said that the decision was reached during a recent meeting in line with the stand of the party’s Supreme Council.
Zahid had announced on Tuesday that the council agreed to no longer defend Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government for failing to table and vote on the emergency ordinances before August 1 as decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“The council affirmed the move, so logically Penang Umno supports it,” said Musa in an interview.
He stressed that the decision of the Penang Umno leadership was also made after a meticulous process, in which support was sought and affirmed at the branch and divisional levels in Penang.
“Everyone was consulted,” he said. “If there is a change of heart it would show that some leaders are deceitful as they only care about their own interests, not those of the nation,” he said.
“We will abide by what the Supreme Council decided which is to withdraw support from PN because the coalition has betrayed both the king and country, as well as impaired the country with their gross mismanagement of the pandemic.”
It is understood that at least 10 out of the 13 division heads here are with Musa.
Twelve hours later, Bersatu through its state youth wing head Shameer Sulaiman urged Musa to step down from posts which the PN federal government had bestowed on him.
“I have yet to receive any official notification on this matter. But if they are serious, they should resign from any government posts,” said Shameer.
In a recent interview, Penang opposition Leader Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mohd Noor, who is the Tasek Gelugor Umno division head, said that the decision to exit PN was made to reflect the voice of the grassroots and not just certain leaders.
“Accept what the grassroots want. Umno has always been a party driven by its grassroots, which is why it continues to remain relevant despite its leaders coming and going.”
Yusoff also claimed that Bersatu has never been sincere since day one as it withheld funding for him when it became obvious that he did not support their management of Covid-19. – The Vibes, August 6, 2021
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