KUALA LUMPUR July 27 — Rallying for Umno and PAS leaders to be replaced, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said today that Malaysia needs to elect “honest Malay-Muslim leaders” such as those in PAS splinter group Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB).

The former Umno Minister saw Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent tirade against his chief as a sign of his frustration of being replaced as next in line for the country’s top job as well as the top post in ruling party Umno.

“He will get the sack, and a few more of his allies in the government will follow suit.

“This will be good for the country as any implosion in Umno will allow for the opposition to have a crack at them during the next election,” Zaid said in his latest post on his blog today.

“Already PAS is cracking under the weight of the new GHB, and if its allies Umno also suffer a similar fate then the forces of good will be strong enough to overcome evil,” the former Umno minister added.

During the Umno Cheras Delegates Meeting at Berjaya Time Square yesterday, Muhyiddin was reported as saying Najib should reveal the “real facts” on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, on top of stepping down as the board of advisers chairman at the state-owned investment firm.

Today, Zaid said Muhyiddin’s latest move was probably not a rebellion in Umno to fight against corrupt leaders but more likely an opportunity for him to take the top post himself and not about cleaning up the country.

“Today, we have smart-looking and well-dressed leaders, leaders who are sons of Prime Ministers, who speak Oxford English and leaders who have wealthy brothers, sons and sons-in law.

“But the country needs good, honest leaders first and foremost, not the kind we have now,” he said.

Zaid, who had a short stint at PKR after leaving Umno, said every Umno leader has been compromised and are not able to oppose corrupt leaders because they allegedly have files on them documenting their own transgressions.

He added that the Malay-Muslim leadership since the country’s independence in 1957 “differ markedly” from the current leaders.

“The present UMNO and PAS leaders are useless and must be replaced,” he said.

Promoting GHB, Zaid said it is not enough to champion Islam but Malaysia needs a party to allow Muslims to coexist peacefully with other faiths in the country and oppose dangerous ideas that create racial and religious strife.

“I believe Mat Sabu and friends will arrest crooks, not reporters and whistleblowers.

“I believe they will not have millions in their personal bank accounts in the Cayman Islands or in AmBank,” he said, referring to Mohamade Sabu, former PAS deputy president and GHB chairman.

He said Malaysians “must all support the leaders of Gerakan Harapan Baru” and that it represents the “new mainstream”.

“They are moderate and sensible. Because they are Malay-Muslims, they will be strong enough to counter Malay-Muslim extremists in PAS and UMNO, who will tip the country further into chaos if they are allowed to continue to rule.

“We must all unite within a larger grouping of GHB, DAP and PKR, one that has a good and sensible political agenda so change in the country will be peaceful,” Zaid stressed.