KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 7 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has claimed today that its party leaders that are facing criminal charges are actually the ones trying to save the Malay nationalist party. 

In a Facebook post today, the Bagan Datoh MP said those dubbed as the “court cluster”, a colloquial term used to lump Umno leaders facing criminal charges, are victims of propaganda for not wanting to let Umno be taken over, purportedly by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

“Because of the refusal to sacrifice Umno, there is a propaganda that those leaders want to save themselves from legal prosecution,” he said. 

“Actually, it is these Umno leaders of the ‘court cluster” the ones who are brave and loyal who fight for Umno regardless of what happens to them. 

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“If you want to see methods of saving oneself, you can see the frogs that are comfortable ‘across the street’,” said Zahid, without pointing to whom he was actually referring to. 

Following the 14th general election, many Umno leaders such as Datuk Seri Hamzah (Larut), Datuk Shabudin Yahaya Zainuddin (Gelugor), Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (Beluran), Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort) and Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran), are among those who have jumped over to Bersatu. 

Zahid then stated that it was always the intention of Umno’s enemies to destroy the party “once and for all” but was unable to do so because of the stubbornness of its leaders. 

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Zahid also lambasted “brokers” who supposedly used their position as spokesperson talking about the unity of the Ummah but actually acted not according to the principles of honesty and transparency. 

On March 5, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had told Umno Online that if those in the “court cluster” supposedly wanted to be released from their charges, then they should court those in Bersatu but that is not the case.  

Najib had reiterated in his interview that he wanted to clear his name through the courts. 

In Umno, former president Najib was found guilty of seven charges involving money laundering, abuse of power, and money laundering over RM42 million of SRC International funds. 

His wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is on trial for allegedly soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes and receiving RM6.5 million in bribes related to a solar energy project in Sarawak. 

Others facing charges include current president Zahid who faces 47 charges related to corruption, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering concerning funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi, as well as former Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor who was found guilty of a RM2 million graft charge.