THIRD WAVE SET TO SMASH ZAHID TO SMITHEREENS? ANOTHER 10 MPs TO QUIT UMNO IF HE DOESN’T STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY

KUALA LUMPUR: The six Umno members of parliament, who have announced their resignation from the party today, urged embattled party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down immediately.

The unhappy lot warned the possibility of a third wave of mass exodus involving 10 Umno leaders if Zahid, who is the former deputy prime minister, refused to heed their calls.

Speaking on behalf of the six MPs, former minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said Zahid has failed to perform his duties as the party president when Umno is in crisis and face difficulties of securing support as well as confident from party members and generally, the people, especially from the Malay community.

“We are off the opinion that Zahid has failed to establish a clear direction for the party in the current scenario and that he should step down.

Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has failed to perform his duties as the Umno president. – NSTP/SHAHNAZ FAZLIE SHAHRIZAL

“It has also something to do with his on-going court case, which resulted in party members and the rakyat especially the Malays losing faith to his leadership on preparing Umno for the next general election,” the Larut MP during an exclusive interview with NSTP here today.

Similar to the Umno MPs and state assemblymen in Sabah, who had announced their decision to quit the party on Thursday, Hamzah and his fellow five Federal lawmakers also expressed their support towards Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the interest of the nation and the people.

Hamzah did not elaborate when he was asked on the possibility of third wave of mass defection of Umno leaders from the party if Zahid adamant to remain as party president.

“I was made to understand that there are 10 MPs will follow suit (should Zahid refused to relinquish his post as party president).

Hamzah, Hulu Terengganu MP, Datuk Rosol Wahid, Datuk Seri Ikhmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah), Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad (Mersing), Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (Tasik Gelugor) and Datuk Mohamad Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (Sabak Bernam) became the latest Umno leaders to abandon ship after he announced that he too had quit the party.

Hamzah said the MPs have yet to decide on whether to join other political parties including Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).

At the moment, Hamzah said the six MPs want Zahid to resign as the party president, which will make way for Umno to conduct extraordinary general meeting and chose their new leadership.

nst