Tajuddin calls Zahid 'liability', says Umno will lose GE if he leads

 

Former Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has called on party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down, saying that the latter is being a liability to Umno’s survival.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, the Pasir Salak MP also mooted for Umno to hold its party election as soon as possible so that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob can take over the party leadership from Zahid (above).

“As I said, Zahid has become a liability to Umno. He cannot be party president and lead the party going into the general election because we will lose.

“Go and ask what the public thinks, ask the professional people, ask voters... You can even ask Umno members, but I believe many are scared to speak up because (some) worry that they would not get ‘watikah’ (appointment letter to contest in the election),” he said.

Tajuddin Abdul Rahman

Tajuddin said Zahid is facing many criminal charges in court and he should focus on defending himself.

For the love of Umno

According to him, Umno also used to have the practice where leaders facing criminal cases would voluntarily step down but Zahid did not.

“It is time for Zahid, if he loves the party, loves its struggle, to let go of the president post.

“Give the chance (to someone else). Not Tok Mat (Mohamad Hasan) though because... We just don’t want the party to be a party with two captains, one on the prime minister’s side, and the other on the president’s side.

“This had been the practice since the time of Hussein Onn, Mahathir (Mohamad), only one person (holds the position as PM and Umno president). The president and PM must be the same person.

“If not, it will be like what’s happening today, where some people would use their position in the party to pressure the prime minister,” he said.

“Ismail Sabri should be the party president, he is the prime minister. We should have a party election, where the PM can be elected as the party president,” he added.

Tajuddin believes that many party leaders and members support Ismail Sabri to replace Zahid.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob

This, he claimed, was because many in the party want the party to be helmed by leaders who are “clean” from criminal cases.

Rubber stamping

Meanwhile, Tajuddin also claimed that Zahid had been controlling the Umno Supreme Council's decisions, where he allegedly steered them into rubber stamping what had already been decided.

He described meetings of the party’s top leadership body only as ‘wayang’.

“He (Zahid) said he is always open and ready to listen to differences in opinion. But is he?

“I have been in the Supreme Council a long time. The council’s decisions were not really what its members wanted but actually his (Zahid).

“He would let one or two leaders speak during the meeting, and then we decide what he has already planned before the meeting.

“And then the party secretary-general would issue a press statement, which has also been prepared beforehand. All already planned. The Supreme Council discussions are only ‘wayang’.” - Mkini