KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s absence from yesterday’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Sabah political rally was not due to rumored rifts in the party, the coalition’s secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said.
In a tweet, the Federal Territories minister said Zahid was initially not scheduled to talk yesterday but was taking over from himself who had to pull out after testing positive for Covid-19.
“Zahid was never scheduled to attend the event. I was the one who was supposed to give the speech, last minute I got the orders to quarantine,” he posted.
However, Annuar’s remark was rebutted by PKR communications chief Fahmi Fadzil, who pointed out that Zahid was part of the line-up, pointing at the event’s poster.
Yg ni? Tu ada gambar dia tu https://t.co/xLyXKR5JXh pic.twitter.com/T3HqPhWtrD
— Fahmi Fadzil (@fahmi_fadzil) September 25, 2020
At yesterday’s main GRS rally, the presidents of the seven component parties contesting the Sabah state polls were scheduled to speak, including Zahid.
He was expected to speak at the Opposition rally in Bakut View, Putatan, to campaign for Petagas candidate Datuk Seri Arsit Sedi and other GRS candidates.
Others who were present and spoke at the event was MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, Sabah Progressive Party president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, Sabah STAR president Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah deputy president Arthur Joseph Kurup and Parti Bersatu Sabah Secretary General Datuk Jahid Jahim.
Zahid’s absence comes after an ominous statement earlier this week saying many Umno MPs back PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister, fuelling rumours of an imminent government toppling.
