Former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein is willing to face the music for his alleged “betrayal” of the party by backing Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as the 10th prime minister.
“If they (party) want to take action, carry on… I have nothing to worry about,” he said.
Met at the sidelines of the Umno general assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today, the Sembrong MP said his stance is similar to the one voiced by Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias yesterday.
Hishammuddin and Jalaluddin are among the 10 BN MPs who reportedly inked statutory declarations (SD) supporting Muhyiddin as PM following the political stalemate after the 15th general election, in what is dubbed the “St Regis Move”.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed the move also sought to remove him as BN chairperson.
Jalaluddin, who is Umno supreme council member, had said that signing the SD was not an act of betrayal as the decision was made then according to the party narrative. Furthermore, the 10 MPs had withdrawn the SDs after Umno decided to work with Pakatan Harapan in the government, he said.
Elaborating, Hishammuddin said he was still consistent with his stance that working with Harapan goes against the party’s resolution.
According to him, he withdrew the SD supporting Muhyiddin upon the party’s orders and agreed with the party’s decision.
“Therefore, the question of betraying (Umno) does not arise.”
He stressed that Umno is better off discussing other pressing matters during the general assembly, which concludes tomorrow.
“We lost in the general election. I hope we can discuss the way forward for the party and how the party can bridge the gap between the party and its supporters.
“Discussions to that effect are better than using this platform to fight and attack each other and point fingers.”
Hishammuddin said while he welcomed Zahid’s announcement that he had forgiven the 10 MPs over the matter, he is still lost for words over the “traitor” badge hanging over his head.
In his speech this morning at the Umno general assemby, Zahid alluded that action could still be taken against Umno MPs who turned their backs on the party’s decisions.
“Wait…God willing, it won’t be long, with the consent of the delegates to give a mandate to the disciplinary board and the Supreme Council…soon,” he said as the delegates chanted for the “traitors” to be cast out of the party.
Zahid on Thursday revealed the names of the 10 MPs who had supported PN.
Six of those who allegedly signed the SD are from Umno – Hishammuddin, Hasni Mohammad, Jalaluddin, Mohd Isam Mohd Isa, Adnan Abu Hassan and Abdul Rahman Mohamad.
The rest are Wee Ka Siong, Wee Jeck Seng, M. Saravanan and Arthur Joseph Kurup.