The case of three federal ministers voicing support for Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir is merely a smokescreen over a rift within Umno in the silver state, alleged Perak PAS election director Asmuni Awi.
He said there has been talk on the ground over the past few months that Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also defence minister, and Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah will be contesting in state seats in the coming election.
"These allegations has been arising daily not only among the opposition but within BN and Umno ranks. Ahmad Zahid's assurance recently is just a smokescreen as discontent against Zambry is rumbling and the possibility of him being replaced is real," said Asmuni ().
"Despite the apparent support for Zambry, Perak PAS along with Pakatan Rakyat are prepared for whoever will be BN's candidate for menteri besar.
"We have been holding regular weekly meetings every Friday driven by the common purpose that the Pakatan government had been illegally deposed in 2009. We are committed to recapture the state," he told Malaysiakini.
Asked if he had heard which constituency Ahmad Husni was said to be contesting if he wants to be menteri besar, Asmuni said there were rumours that the second finance minister, who is also Tambun Umno division chief, that he could be contesting in Ulu Kinta, while Ahmad Zahid may contest in Hutan Melintang.
Rumo
urs have been rife on the possibility that Zambry (right) would be moved to Parliament, and either Ahmad Husni or Ahmad Zahid may replace him as menteri besar.
Zambry was said to be Ahmad Zahid's preferred candidate as MB during the Perak constitutional crisis four years ago, while Ahmad Husni is seen as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's man.
However, on Thursday several newspaper reported Ahmad Zahid stating that three ministers - all from Perak - wanted Zambry to remain as Perak menteri besar. The other minister besides Ahmad Zahid and Ahmad Husni is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz.
'Perak Umno united in backing Zambry'
Meanwhile, Larut Umno Youth chief Mohamad Anuar Ariffin dismissed talks of a rift in the state Umno, saying the party is united in supporting Zambry.
"I have also heard the opposition claiming in the past that there was a rift between Zambry and Ahmad Husni. However, this is totally untrue as in meetings both are very cordial and relations are fine," Mohamad Anuar, who is also a member of the Perak Umno liaison committee, told Malaysiakini.
Ahmad Husni (left) is the deputy chairperson in Perak Umno, which is chaired by Zambry.
Mohamad Anuar played down such suggestions as merely opposition propaganda.
"These claims are made by outsiders and the opposition. However in Umno, we are united in our support to Zambry. The present menteri besar has done a lot and has managed to win the people back to Umno and BN.
"The support voiced by Ahmad Zahid, representing the three ministers, is to stem such speculation," he said.
An aide to Zambry who declined to be quoted also played down talk of Zambry being replaced, saying the present Perak menteri besar's relationship with the state party chieftains was fine.
The aide said the fact that Zambry is considered a younger brother to the ministers shows the cordial relationship that they have. He was referring to the Perak menteri besar's statement which appeared in newspapers on Thursday.
It was reported in several newspapers that Zambry had described his relationship with the federal ministers as "brotherly".
He said there has been talk on the ground over the past few months that Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also defence minister, and Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah will be contesting in state seats in the coming election.
"These allegations has been arising daily not only among the opposition but within BN and Umno ranks. Ahmad Zahid's assurance recently is just a smokescreen as discontent against Zambry is rumbling and the possibility of him being replaced is real," said Asmuni ()."Despite the apparent support for Zambry, Perak PAS along with Pakatan Rakyat are prepared for whoever will be BN's candidate for menteri besar.
"We have been holding regular weekly meetings every Friday driven by the common purpose that the Pakatan government had been illegally deposed in 2009. We are committed to recapture the state," he told Malaysiakini.
Asked if he had heard which constituency Ahmad Husni was said to be contesting if he wants to be menteri besar, Asmuni said there were rumours that the second finance minister, who is also Tambun Umno division chief, that he could be contesting in Ulu Kinta, while Ahmad Zahid may contest in Hutan Melintang.
Rumo
urs have been rife on the possibility that Zambry (right) would be moved to Parliament, and either Ahmad Husni or Ahmad Zahid may replace him as menteri besar.Zambry was said to be Ahmad Zahid's preferred candidate as MB during the Perak constitutional crisis four years ago, while Ahmad Husni is seen as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's man.
However, on Thursday several newspaper reported Ahmad Zahid stating that three ministers - all from Perak - wanted Zambry to remain as Perak menteri besar. The other minister besides Ahmad Zahid and Ahmad Husni is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz.
'Perak Umno united in backing Zambry'
Meanwhile, Larut Umno Youth chief Mohamad Anuar Ariffin dismissed talks of a rift in the state Umno, saying the party is united in supporting Zambry.
"I have also heard the opposition claiming in the past that there was a rift between Zambry and Ahmad Husni. However, this is totally untrue as in meetings both are very cordial and relations are fine," Mohamad Anuar, who is also a member of the Perak Umno liaison committee, told Malaysiakini.
Ahmad Husni (left) is the deputy chairperson in Perak Umno, which is chaired by Zambry.Mohamad Anuar played down such suggestions as merely opposition propaganda.
"These claims are made by outsiders and the opposition. However in Umno, we are united in our support to Zambry. The present menteri besar has done a lot and has managed to win the people back to Umno and BN.
"The support voiced by Ahmad Zahid, representing the three ministers, is to stem such speculation," he said.
An aide to Zambry who declined to be quoted also played down talk of Zambry being replaced, saying the present Perak menteri besar's relationship with the state party chieftains was fine.
The aide said the fact that Zambry is considered a younger brother to the ministers shows the cordial relationship that they have. He was referring to the Perak menteri besar's statement which appeared in newspapers on Thursday.
It was reported in several newspapers that Zambry had described his relationship with the federal ministers as "brotherly".
Some political observers believe that Zambry is a stopgap menteri besar following the sudden collapse of the Pakatan state government in 2009 as a result of defections engineered by BN.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.