I paid a steep price for refusing to disband Umno, says Zahid

 

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says Mahathir Mohamad asked him to disband the party six months after being elected party leader. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tonight said he paid a steep price for refusing to dissolve Umno and bring its members over to Bersatu.

The Umno president said he was subsequently slapped with 87 counts of corruption when he spurned Dr Mahathir Mohamed’s offer.

“When I stood firm and refused to listen to Mahathir’s directive to dissolve Umno, I was not left alone. One by one, steps were taken to teach me a lesson for my stubbornness,” he said in a Facebook post.

Mahathir was then the chairman of Bersatu, which is largely seen as an Umno splinter party. He resigned in 2020, hours after stepping down as the prime minister.

Zahid said that he was instructed by Mahathir to disband Umno six months after being elected as its president.

But he told Mahathir that he could not do so as if he were to pass away the very next day, his grave would be defiled by 3.8 million Umno members.

The former deputy prime minister said he would continue to defend Umno and protect its dignity. “As long as I live, Umno will never be dissolved.”

Mahathir had told Zahid to dissolve the party in 2018, saying Umno no longer held on to its principles.

Zahid’s statement tonight comes days after he demanded that Mahathir apologise for claiming Zahid had sought his help to drop corruption charges. - FMT