Zahid could sack Ismail if no early elections, says Mukhriz

 

Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir has speculated on what Umno might do if Ismail Sabri Yaakob does not toe the line.

PETALING JAYA: Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir has speculated about whether Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob could be expelled by Umno if he does not call for the dissolution of Parliament soon.

Mukhriz contended that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi could act the same way as previous party leaders did when their wishes were not entertained. Zahid could sack Ismail if the latter did not comply with the party’s wishes to call a general election this year.

“Najib (Razak) once fired his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, without going through a special Umno general assembly meeting to discuss the action,” Mukhriz said, according to Berita Harian.

“Of course Zahid can also fire a vice-president even if he is a prime minister,” he was quoted as saying. Ismail is an Umno vice-president as well as prime minister.

Mukhriz said there had been a possible “warning shot” for Ismail in the party’s decision last night to expel a Zahid critic, Zaharin Yasin, and suspend the membership of two divisional leaders.

Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Alor Setar Umno division chief Yusof Ismail were suspended for six years.

Mukhriz claimed that the only reason Umno insisted on the general election being held this year was to avoid more of the party’s leaders being punished through legal channels, and to free Najib from prison.

“All parties know the real reason is to avoid more Umno leaders from being punished and jailed, as well as to release Najib from jail. Perhaps the people will punish Umno in GE15,” he said. - FMT