BOMBSHELL – ‘THE ULAMA HAVE SAID SOMETHING BIG WILL HAPPEN’: ZAHID PORTENDS HIS COMEBACK TO ‘LEAD UMNO’ – EVEN AS ALLY NAJIB, WHO ALSO BACKS AN UMNO-PAS MERGER, GETS THE THUMBS UP FROM ACTING UMNO CHIEF MAT HASAN – ‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH NAJIB & HIS STYLE’

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hinted last night that he would make a comeback to lead the party after a “peristiwa besar” (big occurrence or event) that he expects to take place soon.

Zahid, who is currently on leave from party duties, refused to elaborate on the ‘event’ he was referring to.

“I am going to be away (from party duties) for a period of time to finish my leave because according to ‘kasyaf‘ (advantage given by God to chosen people), the ulama have said that something big will happen in the country.

“When it happens, I will return to lead Umno, inshaAllah,” Zahid said during a talk programme titled ‘Umno & PAS Cooperation – How Far Will It Go?’ held in Bagan Datuk, Perak, last night.

The programme, which was aired live on social media, featured Zahid, who is the Bagan Datuk MP, and Bagan Datuk PAS division chief Misbahul Munir Masbuki as panellists.

It was the first programme where the former deputy prime minister appeared officially on the political stage, after going on leave as Umno president last December.

On Dec 18 last year, Zahid announced his decision to hand over the party president’s duties to his deputy, Mohamad Hasan, with immediate effect.

Speaking about the decision, Zahid explained that it was made to save Umno from the exodus of its leaders and people’s representatives.

“If it is true that I was the main cause (for the exodus), then the decision I made was the best to give the trust to Mohamad to carry out the duties.

“This also fits the spirit of Umno’s constitution, where if the president does not receive ‘hidayah‘ (guidance from God), then the best method is to hand over the responsibility to the deputy president,” Zahid said.

On the cooperation between Umno and PAS, he said there is “kemesraan” (intimacy) between the parties.

If he were to be given the trust to unite Umno and PAS again, he said, he would make sincerity the core of their cooperation.

“InshaAllah, if one day I am given the responsibility again to unite the two parties, sincerity will cover all political aims,” he said.

Cooperation between Umno and PAS, Zahid added, should be translated into the true meaning of “tahaluf siyasi” (political cooperation), in line with what the members and grassroots of the two parties wanted. – MALAYSIAKINI

NOTHING WRONG WITH NAJIB AND HIS STYLE, SAYS MAT HASAN

BARISAN Nasional will not stop Najib Razak from campaigning for the coalition in the coming Semenyih by-election, but he will have to do it on his own, said Umno acting president Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad said Najib had also campaigned in Cameron Highlands on his own platform after he was invited by the Felda settlers and Orang Asli.

“In Cameron Highlands, BN did not invite him to campaign, but he was invited by the Felda people, the (Orang Asli) tok batin, because he contributed much to them.

“As party chief, I welcome any effort that can add value to BN and Umno,” he was quoted as saying in Malaysiakini today.

“What is wrong with Najib and his style? He is not on Umno’s platform, but his own.

“He can do as he likes… ‘malu apa bossku’ (What’s my boss got to be ashamed of),” Mohamad told reporters in Shah Alam today.

“Malu Apa Bossku” is the tagli of Najib’s social media campaign, which has made him a local internet sensation.

“I am confident this is something good he is doing to unite Malaysians.

“At the same time, if it adds value to BN and Umno, why not? Anyone can contribute, I welcome it as I don’t have a policy of sidelining anyone,” Mohamad said. – – https://www.themalaysianinsight.com

MKINI / THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT