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KUALA LUMPUR – Umno is clearing house to curb dissent and prevent any challenge to its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a former aide of party veteran Tan Sri Annuar Musa has said.
Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said the move to sack Annuar and others from the party is proof that “politics of revenge” in the party.
His remarks, made on Facebook, is the most direct confirmation from Annuar’s camp of the move to sack him. The former Ketereh MP has not responded to calls to comment on the matter.
“The sacking of Annuar and others is clear proof that the politics of revenge is dominating Umno and the president cannot be criticised at all,” said Tun Faisal, who was formerly Annuar’s press secretary.
“It is clear that sacking those who oppose the president is to prevent democracy in Umno and shows that the president and his cronies are afraid of facing competition in the upcoming party elections.
“Zahid and the supreme council have no balls (telur) any challenge in the next (party) election,” Tun Faisal said.
The former Special Affairs Department director also said Zahid had failed the party in the 15th general election and was also one of the main reasons why Umno supporters did not support Barisan Nasional (BN) in the election.
“The president cannot be criticised even though he has betrayed the party repeatedly, as well as voters when he forced BN MPs to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and cooperate with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form a government.”
Annuar was reported as one of three Umno division leaders sacked last night by the supreme council for tarnishing the party’s iage.
The other two are reportedly Arau Wanita Umno division chief Datuk Seri Shamsiah Yasin and her Maran counterpart Datin Seri Fatimah Kassim. This is after the duo supported the candidates of an opposing party in the 15th general election.
Annuar, a proponent of a BN-Perikatan Nasional cooperation, has been a vocal critic of the Umno leadership in the past couple of years over its decision not to work with the Bersatu-led coalition.
He had also openly criticised the party’s top echelons on several occasions, resulting in his removal as BN secretary-general in January last year.
He was dropped from contesting in the 15th general election, the first time he has not competed in polls since making his electoral debut in 1986.
After BN’s decision to form a unity government led by PH, Annuar criticised Zahid for going against Umno’s earlier decision not to work with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his coalition.
He also said BN’s poor performance in the election under Zahid’s leadership was proof that the rakyat have rejected him, and urged the leader to resign from his presidency. – The Vibes, December 9, 2022