Amid rumours of leadership challenge, Hishammuddin urges Umno members to focus on party’s stability

KLUANG, April 12 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today urged all Umno members to focus on maintaining the party’s stability, instead of causing friction among leaders and creating various camps that can split it from within.

He said he is concerned about issues that may cause Umno to split, including the recent audio clip of conversations allegedly of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PKR counterpart Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“There is also the issue of the Umno 3.0 movement that aims to create a new party leadership.

“Such a situation will not only have an effect on the party’s grassroots, but will in fact be looked down by the people,” said Hishammuddin after officiating the Sembrong parliamentary-level Malaysia Prihatin Programme held in Paloh here.

Last Friday, several online media outlets had reported that there is speculation that there are plans to get rid of Umno’s Ahmad Zahid and Datuk Seri Najib Razak with a new “Umno 3.0” leadership.

The news reports suggested that the faction will work with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and PAS by calling for Ahmad Zahid to step down, before backing Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the prime minister after the next general election.

Hishammuddin also questioned the relevancy of the movement, adding that such a situation does not help with uniting and stabalising Umno.

“We have much more to do in achieving our party’s agenda. I have already stated, what is important is the stability of our own party.

“Efforts to fight leaders, efforts to create certain camps must stop because what is important now is for us to strengthen our party after the recent Umno general assembly,” said the Sembrong MP.

Hishammuddin, who is a former Umno vice-president, said the issue of a fractured Umno would definitely effect the party’s momentum in facing the coming 15th general election ( if it is not curbed.

“This issue has spread from the beginning, I myself have been a victim for three years. I was accused of various things, but I still remain in Umno.

“They can accuse me of betraying Umno and wanting to jump from the party, but for three years I am still in the party,” he said.

Hishammuddin pointed out that if party members spend the last three years just thinking about whether he will jump the party or not, it is just a waste of time.

He said this will not help rebuild Umno back to the conditions that many had hoped for.

On the controversial audio clip allegedly of Ahmad Zahid and Anwar, Hishammuddin said he will leave it to the police.

“For me, what is important is Umno’s stand. Whether it is true or not, fake or not, it is not a matter that worries me because everyone knows the party’s stance from the beginning which is ‘No Anwar, No DAP’ and ‘Yes to Bersatu’ until the GE15,” he said.