PETALING JAYA: Backing opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to be prime minister in 2020 was the right thing to do then, says former Umno Supreme Council member Nazri Aziz.
Defending MPs from Umno who had signed declarations of support for Anwar, Nazri said he had signed out of “love” for Umno, to protect the party from being dissolved.
Nazri said he agreed with the move to support Anwar. “I was worried that if we didn’t back Anwar, the party would be dissolved,” he told FMT.
He said he did not blame Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for backing Anwar at that time. Zahid’s role in gathering support for Anwar was revealed earlier today by former Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.
Anwar had announced in September 2020 that he had “formidable and convincing support” from MPs to form a new government, nine months after Bersatu left Pakatan Harapan to form a Perikatan Nasional government. However, Anwar’s move did not come through.
Nazri said the threat to Umno had come from Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said the former prime minister had been adamant about deregistering Umno.
Zahid had also claimed last month that Mahathir had urged him at several meetings between 2018 and 2020, to dissolve Umno and suggested that its members (especially MPs and assemblymen) join Bersatu, of which Mahathir was then chairman.
Nazri said he had urged Zahid to step down last year because Zahid had been reluctant to give up his party position after being charged with corruption.
“My problem with Zahid was not because of Anwar, but (him) not wanting to let go of the presidency,” Nazri told FMT.
He said individuals who had court cases were “creating problems for the party”, and pointed out that the Umno Supreme Council had in 2009 decided that those who had court cases should take leave from the party.
“Your problem is not the party’s,” he said referring to Zahid’s corruption trial. - FMT
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