After leaving Umno, Zahidi sets sight on PKR

Former Umno supreme council member Zahidi Zainul Abidin said he and his supporters will submit their application to join PKR on Feb 4.

Zahidi claimed that he will be accompanied by some 100 supporters who are currently Padang Besar Umno division members.

"I expect a lot of branches in Padang Besar to be closed soon. A lot of people are asking me to teach them how to join PKR.

"They include national-level Umno leaders. Some of them are joining Perikatan Nasional," he told Sinar Harian.

Zahidi, 62, (above) lost his Umno membership in November last year after he ran for the Padang Besar seat as an independent. Zahidi did not manage to keep his deposit.

His application to join PKR comes at a time when there are undercurrents of ill-will in Umno following the purge of big names in the party.

Last week, the party leadership expelled Khairy Jamaluddin and Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar.

It also handed out six-year suspensions to Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, its Youth wing vice-chief Shahril Sufian Hamdan, Tebrau Umno division chief Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Mohd Salim Sharif.

Umno has not made public the reasons for handing out these sanctions. - Mkini