IPOH, Dec 19 ― Perak Umno liaison chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad today described party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as a scapegoat for the parliamentarians who abandoned the party.

“I don’t believe that the party president is the real reason why some had left Umno. Those who left had their own reason and they already had the idea to quit the party.

“It’s just that they don’t want to be at fault, so they used the party president as the reason,” he told reporters at the Umno building here.

Zahid yesterday announced he was going on garden leave and handed over duties as Umno president to the deputy, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in an attempt to prevent more party members from quitting the party.

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From 54 MPs after the May 9 polls, Umno now has 37.

Saarani said those who left the party had hurt other Umno members and voters deeply.

He also urged party members to respect Zahid’s decision to hand over his duties to Mohamad, adding that Zahid’s actions shows that the Umno leadership placed the people’s interest above their own.

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“The decision should be supported by all the Umno members to ensure that the rebuilding process of the party can be done without any division among members,” he said.

Saarani also urged party members to look at the good side of Mohamad and not his weaknesses.

“If someone said that he did not perform back then it is because he was the number two. Usually, the person in the second place will not perform better than the one in the first place.

“Now that he is given the duty to be in the first place, I’m confident he will do the best for the party. I hope the rest of the Umno members will be supportive and trust him,” he said.