by RAHIMI YUNUS / pic by RAZAK GHAZALI
SACKED Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary general Tan Sri Annuar Musa (picture) yesterday claimed that a faction within Umno is plotting to topple the Perikatan Nasional government.
Annuar produced a letter at a press conference yesterday that purported to show Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and several others pledging their support to Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as part of Anwar’s claim that he has the majority in Parliament.
The letter, dated Oct 11, 2020, was submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah during Anwar’s audience with the King.
Annuar, who was sacked by Ahmad Zahid as BN secretary general, said such black-and-white expression of support to Anwar was “too much” and as the then BN secretary general, he could not agree with it.
The Ketereh MP also said that some within Umno were secretly negotiating to form an alliance with DAP and other Opposition parties.
Annuar said to his knowledge, none of these moves were endorsed by the Umno Supreme Council.
“Umno MPs have never been officially told by the party to support Anwar. To date, MPs insist not to work with DAP and Anwar and stand by the official party’s decision.
“It is unknown how many people are involved because this is not consented to by the party. These are individuals,” Annuar said in Putrajaya yesterday.
The veteran politician said he disagreed with Ahmad Zahid on the matter and is taking a stand against anything that contradicts the decisions of the Supreme Council.
Annuar also disputed that a majority of Umno divisions had decided not to cooperate with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, of which Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is president, in the next general election.
Annuar claimed that only 55 out of 191 divisions had signalled their wish not to cooperate with Bersatu, in contrast to a statement by Ahmad Zahid that 143 had made such a statement.
As it is, Annuar called on Umno leadership to stop politicking and focus on working towards the wellbeing of the people.
“When will the behind-the-scenes politicking end? I think Umno leadership must display its class and example to other parties as a long-running and experienced party. And we need to work with many parties. We cannot move solo,” he said.
Elsewhere, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein also urged the party leadership to tone down their politicking.
The former Umno VP said the party has the chance to prove that it is more concerned with handling the pandemic and wellbeing of the people, an opportunity that it should not waste.
He said Umno must learn the lessons from the 14th General Election (GE14) when it lost 54 seats.
“If the party decided not to continue working with Bersatu, Umno has to decide who it will work with towards GE15. Is it DAP? PKR? Or alone?” Hishammuddin said in a statement yesterday.
He also said he will let go of his ministerial position if the party decided all Cabinet ministers from Umno have to resign.
The Sembrong MP highlighted that Umno ministers at the Defence, Health and Science, Technology and Innovation Ministries have a huge responsibility to fight the Covid-19 crisis from the defence, health and vaccine access points of views.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said via his Twitter account yesterday that those calling for GE15 before the pandemic can be brought under control are irresponsible.
“I know some of them are from my party. Don’t be selfish.”
Read our earlier report
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