KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Former Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he would have found a way to remove Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from leading the country’s largest political party if the former were still a member.
Now president of rival party Bersatu, Muhyiddin claimed Ahmad Zahid who is the incumbent head had done a lot of damage to Umno, including violating the party’s principles by working with DAP, Sinar Harian reported today.
“It is the time for them (Umno members) to migrate, they can enter PAS or even Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu). Don't stay in Umno, the party has already broken.
“Who ruined Umno... Zahid Hamidi. He made many decisions, including rejecting cooperation with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP, but what did Ahmad Zahid do? He said not to do it, but he did it anyway.
“The problem in Umno is that there is no leader and members (are) blindly following. If I had still remained in Umno, I would have found a way to topple Ahmad Zahid because he has violated the party’s constitution and brought disaster to the party,” Muhyiddin was quoted as saying in his speech during a programme in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu last night.
The former prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021 called on voters to reject Umno and choose Bersatu and PAS, both component parties in the Perikatan Nasional coalition of which Muhyiddin is also its chairman.
“It is time we forget Umno. It is the time we don't have to listen to what their leaders say,” he was quoted as saying.
Muhyiddin was sacked from Umno in June 2016 for speaking out openly against the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal when Datuk Seri Najib Razak was its president.
