Umno MPs have criticised party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for an apparent attempt to secure Supreme Council backing to end the party’s relationship with Perikatan Nasional and bring down the government.
They said their leader should be held accountable for his actions and noted he did not bother to check with the council when siding with the PN government when it formed last year.
They reminded Zahid that the party had already resolved to stick with PN until the next general election.
Umno veteran Nazri Aziz is baffled that Zahid is only seeking the council’s blessing now but did not after the Sheraton Move last year.
“At that time, he said this was a matter for MPs, not the council. So why is he not talking to the MPs now if he wants the party to end its support for PN?”
“If anything at all, this is what he should be doing to engage us,” he said.
Nazri – who is behind the drive to declare Hishammuddin Hussein Umno spokesman – said they will not support Zahid’s efforts to bring down the government.
Nazri said he and his fellow MPs were aware of the move by Zahid to get the supreme council to back his move to withdraw their support for the PN administration by Aug 1.
Nazri said Zahid should respect the party’s decision, made at the annual general assembly, and stick with the current plan.
“The right body to reverse this decision would be the party’s general assembly and, if he wanted to do this, he should call for an extraordinary general meeting he said.
More than 30 council members have signed a motion authorising the party to leave the government before August 1, according to sources.
The Umno leadership has been calling council members to persuade them to ink a motion to withdraw from the government, which it wants to table at its next council meeting.
Zahid had been collating their consent during meetings at the party’s headquarters, attended by deputy president Mohamad Hasan and secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.
The Umno Supreme Council comprises of 47 members; 25 of whom are elected.
Perlis Umno veteran Shahidan Kassim said the party should take action against Zahid, saying the president has transgressed the decision the party made to remain in government until a general election is called.
“Action must be taken against any member who goes against the party decision. The assembly has already decided to support PN till the next election, so the council and MPs must abide by this.
“This move to criticise the PN government openly by some Umno members goes against the party’s decision and the president has done so by giving his support for Anwar Ibrahim to become prime minister,” he said.
The Arau MP said if there are attempts by the council to leave before the next general election, it will be a violation of the party’s constitution and action must be taken against anyone attempting this.
Ketereh MP Annuar Musa said the party’s assembly decision cannot be changed or amended by any other body in Umno.
“The council is empowered to make decisions on the issue and it is fine to make decisions accordingly, so long as it does not involve reversing it. If it is changed, there will be serious repercussions because it may lead to the Registrar of Societies intervening.
“This may also result in the matter going to court. This is dangerous as the court may rule against the party,” he said in a statement. – TMI