KUALA LUMPUR – Umno should only consider rekindling its political alliance with PAS if the Islamist party is willing to turn its back on president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, a party division chief proposed today.
Speaking at the Umno general assembly, Pasir Puteh Umno chief Datuk Zawawi Othman reasoned that possible future cooperations between the two can only happen once leaders who have “bad mouthed” Umno are out of the picture.
Other names mentioned by the Kelantan Umno information chief include Nik Omar Nik Abdul Aziz – son of former PAS leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat – and Kedah PAS deputy commissioner Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
“If PAS were to reject these leaders, then we (Umno) can accept the party and hold proper discussions, but as long as these individuals are around, then we should stick to ourselves and let them go about their business,” said Zawawi.
Referencing Hadi’s comment made on January 27 about Umno being like a “duck with broken legs”, Zawawi expressed his disappointment over such remarks, especially since both parties had signed the Muafakat Nasional (MN) charter on September 14, 2019.
“I was more than happy to accept working with PAS in the interest of unifying Malay Muslims, but then their leaders started to make fun of and insult Umno.
“It is not that we reject the party itself, but we are against PAS leaders who run their mouths and do not have a stand in any one matter,” he said, adding that Umno leaders have yet to issue derogatory statements towards PAS.
He added his hopes for Kelantan, which has been governed by PAS for 32 years since 1990, to be ruled by Umno under the guidance of Umno Supreme Council member and Machang MP Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub come the next general election.
On January 22, Jazlan had announced that Kelantan Umno has decided to sever ties with PAS in the state due to the latter’s insistence on working with Bersatu and choosing to side with the party led by president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in the 15th general election.
So far, Umno figureheads have yet to directly address the fragmented relationship between the party and PAS, with no mention made of the fate of MN yet.
Besides that, Zawawi said current Bersatu ministers who were once part of Umno had “betrayed” Umno’s generosity during the 2018 general election.
“We (Umno) gave them a chance to compete in elections under the Barisan Nasional (BN) banner. We even gave them funds and election machinery for them to campaign.
“But once they won, they brought their success to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and ‘Abah’ (Muhyiddin),” he said, adding that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should instead focus on talents already within the party instead of appealing for traitors to return.
Calling on the top leaders of the party to remain united for the sake of its members, Zawawi labelled Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who holds no leadership position in Umno, as the “mother of jewels”.
“All our leaders here today are like gems and ‘bossku’ is our mother of jewels. There should be no voices attempting to cause any cracks among our leaders as members will be angered by any disunity.
“Do not become an agent of Muhyiddin in this esteemed hall.” – The Vibes, March 19, 2022
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