Annuar doubts 189 out of 191 Umno divisions rejected Bersatu

 

Former BN secretary-general Annuar Musa expressed doubt over a news report which claimed that 189 Umno divisions out of 191 have rejected cooperation with Bersatu in their respective meetings recently.

The Ketereh MP said he received information that only 99 divisions had rejected working with Bersatu. 

Subsequently, Annuar in his tweet changed the figure to 55.

But Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said 143 divisions opposed maintaining ties with Bersatu.

Zahid explained that the number was based on feedback gathered from a WhatsApp group comprising party division leaders.

"There are 191 divisions. Two divisions did not hold meetings.

"Are you confident that all divisions (which held meetings) including Ketereh, supported the move not to work with Bersatu in the next general election?" asked Annuar.

"Was Sembrong (Hishammuddin Hussein's division) like that? How about Rembau (deputy president Mohamad Hasan's division), Putrajaya (Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's division), Bera (vice-president Ismail Sabri's division)? Was Mahadzir Khalid's division (Padang Terap) also like that?

"Just call them to find out," he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.

Annuar stressed that the motions brought by the divisions did not only revolve around Bersatu but also involved other matters.

"Which one rejected Bersatu but at the same time also rejected cooperation with Anwar and DAP?" he asked.

Despite being in the Perikatan Nasional government together, the relationship between Umno and Bersatu has turned sour.

In the latest series of tussles, Umno had accused Bersatu of stealing and buying its members.

Previously, Umno had claimed that the PN government had not made good on its promise to give a RM10,000 one-off EPF payment to those in need without condition as well as an automatic loan moratorium, in return for Umno's support for Budget 2021.

Last month, Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who is Bersatu deputy president, was ousted from his post as Perak menteri besar after losing a vote of confidence initiated by Umno assemblyperson Abdul Manaf Hashim.

Ahmad Faizal was replaced by state Umno chief Saarani Mohamad.

Meanwhile, Annuar reiterated that Umno cannot go solo in facing the general election.

"I have repeated this many times that Umno cannot go solo. It has to accept cooperation.

"It must succeed in uniting Malay-Muslims. If Umno cannot do that, don't think other people will support us," he said. - Mkini