Ummi Hafilda Ali's presence next to Dr Mahathir Mohamad at a Bersatu Youth fundraiser in Kuala Lumpur had raised eyebrows this afternoon.
Ummi Hafilda is the estranged sister of Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali and a staunch critic of jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking to reporters, she claimed to have always been a supporter of Mahathir.
"I feel that I have to be loyal to Tun (Mahathir). Even today, I still think he is the greatest leader, the greatest prime minister ever," she said.
Conceding that Mahathir might have his faults, Ummi Hafilda, however, argued that the entire world is aware of caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's alleged wrongdoings.
"I have offered to Tun that I will go on a nationwide tour with him to correct the negative perception about him.
"(But) this is not about Tun, it is about the country. We must correct what Najib has fooled the people with.
"I vow today that even if Umno comes and sembah (worships) me to become a spokesperson for Umno, I will say sorry, (no)," she added.
Ummi Hafilda (photo) also stressed that she did not attend the fundraiser in the hope of being rewarded.
"So I hope no one will say that I am hoping for dedak. Today, I paid RM5,000 to be at the same table with Tun.
"I don't need dedak. In fact I will contribute the profit from my business towards Mahathir's fight because he is on the path of truth," she added.
Ummi Hafilda had made headlines as the star witness in Anwar's first sodomy trial.
She also joined the Umno campaign trail in the last general election.
Thicker than water
At today's event, both Azmin and his wife Shamsidar Taharin were also present. The brother and sister did not talk to each other, however.
She later admitted that she and Azmin are still not on good terms.
"But good or bad, we are still siblings. I can't delete that fact, he's still my brother and he too must acknowledge that I'm still his sister.
"Maybe there were conflicts before this, but we put them aside to topple Najib.
"Even today I am still not in good terms with Azmin. Everyone knows this – when he came just now you can see his body language, he did not look at me.
"And I'm okay with that because our fight (has) just one (aim) – to get rid of Najib and to bury Umno."
Despite the icy relations, Ummi Hafilda said she neither hates her brother nor bears a grudge against him, pointing out how "blood is thicker than water."
Commenting on her other brother, Azwan Ali (photo), who had made public his support of Umno, Ummi Hafilda said he was free to do so.
"It's a democratic country, even though we came from the same womb, each of us have our own rights.
"It's up to him if he wants to support Umno."
'Loyal to sifu'
Meanwhile, when pointed out how she had expressed her disdain of Azmin's party PKR just last December, Ummi Hafilda pointed out how she never said she was supporting PKR, just Mahathir.
"I support Mahathir. So whatever Mahathir's strategy is, I will obey. I am loyal to my sifu (master).
"It's like if your house is being robbed. I don't care if you are from PKR or DAP, I will call to ask you to help me.
"We are currently being robbed so it doesn't matter whether it's Lim Kit Siang or Mohamad Sabu, we are together to save the country from being robbed."
Ummi also said that she was willing to join Bersatu if it is approved in the future. - Mkini
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