PAKATAN Harapan is just trying to destablise Umno by continuously talking about 40 Umno MPs wanting to defect to the ruling pact, said Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said that the ruling coalition was attacking Umno and trying to split it as the people had begun to realise that they still needed the former Barisan Nasional lynchpin party.
The party president said that after six months of PH rule, many people had come to realise that they had been duped by the pact’s promises, which remain unfulfilled, and that they needed Umno to protect their interests.
“They see that Umno is rising again, that we are still a strong party. So, they want to split us up… divide and rule Umno from outside and inside,” Zahid told Umno members in Penang today.
“Umno’s biggest assets are its MPs and state assemblymen. Three MPs have left. That means that there are ‘hawks’ going for our MPs.
“Tiada jual-beli (No sale). Although there are supposedly 40 MPs who want to lompat (jump ship), Umno and BN only make decisions en bloc. Don’t try to buy us. Umno has its pride and dignity.”
Recently, Bersatu supreme council member A. Kadir Jasin said that 40 Umno MPs were set to abandon their party for Bersatu, a member of the ruling PH coalition.
He said the 40 MPs had recently met Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also Bersatu chairman, and party president Muhyiddin Yassin.
Although Zahid only mentioned three MPs, the actually number of Umno MPs lost is four and comprises Bagan Serai MP Noor Azmi Ghazali, Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed and Kimanis MP Anifah Aman.
Umno had also lost assemblymen in Perlis, Perak, Johor and Sabah since BN’s defeat in the 14th general election.
However, Zahid remained adamant that there was no way PH could get the 40 MPs to cross over.
“Don’t tell me that, of the 40, (Umno Supreme Council member and Kepala Batas MP) Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, secretary-general Annuar Musa, (party information chief and Lenggong MP) Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah and (Tasek Gelugor MP) Shabudin Yahaya want to hop? No way.
“Surely (Pontian MP) Ahmad Maslan, Mat GST, will not hop, too. All the journalists here, please write (in your reports). Where are the 40 MPs? No way for (PH) to get 40 MPs to jump,” Zahid said.
“I am confident that our MPs will stand with Umno and Barisan Nasional to form a strong line of opposition MPs.”
Zahid, who is also Bagan Datuk MP, said he expected more threats and pressure to pile on Umno, with some of its leaders dragged into investigations, like himself.
The former deputy prime minister faces 45 counts of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering involving RM114.15 million.
“Go ahead. I will not cower or fear their threats,” he said.
Zahid also said that some individuals were scared after being called up by the authorities to investigate the source of funds received for party use.
He said an MP who has since quit Umno should remember that he won the seat not because he was popular but because of the hard work by Umno’s election machinery and its grassroots.
“If those people have any honour, they should resign as MPs. Umno will contest those seats in by-elections and win them back.”
Zahid also told Penang Umno’s grassroots that the party must rise up again as the people were being sidelined by the new government and needed Umno to be their voice.
“In surau, mosques and coffee shops, people are saying that they need us back in the government again.
“Umno cannot be weakened by the efforts to divide us. Our direction is clear – we are to be the government again or part of the government before or after the 15th general election.”
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT
Source | https://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2018/11/with-jail-breathing-down-his-neck-zahid.html
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