Umno Youth special convention got Zahid's blessing, says Akmal

The Umno Youth special convention today received the blessing of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh.

However, he stressed that the call for the party to leave the unity government was his personal view and also reflected the majority of motions submitted at the convention.

He said the Umno president showed magnanimity in approving the convention to allow the party’s grassroots to voice their views.

“I want to explain that the push for (Umno) to leave (the government) came from me personally and from the grassroots, not from the president.

“The president gave his blessing for the convention. When we informed him that we wanted to hold a convention to listen to the grassroots, the president agreed.

“This shows his magnanimity. Even though the president knew the grassroots would be angry and so on, he was big-hearted and ready to listen to everything,” Akmal said at a press conference after the convention held at the World Trade Centre (WTC), Kuala Lumpur, this afternoon

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

In his speech to over 1,000 Umno youth and veteran members, alongside Malay NGO leaders including Perkasa president Syed Hasan Syed Ali, Akmal reiterated that Zahid is also prepared to face any future court battles linked to his acquittal from 47 graft charges.

Najib’s court decision

The “Umno Youth Special Convention on Umno’s Direction in the Unity Government” was held amid the wing’s dissatisfaction with DAP.

Previously, Akmal criticised a statement by DAP’s Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin, who celebrated a court decision rejecting Najib Abdul Razak’s house arrest bid.

Yeo’s statement drew criticism from Umno leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Zahid, who urged that no one should “pour oil on the fire”.

Commenting on today’s convention, Akmal said he would bring the motions submitted today to the Umno Youth general assembly.

He said the majority of motions presented by Umno Youth representatives called for the party to leave the government.

Akmal added that the call was only for Umno to exit the government, not to bring down the existing federal administration.

“We want to leave the government; we do not want to backstab, we do not want to bring down the government today. I strongly oppose any backstabbing,” he said. - Mkini