We are up against Umno, not BN, in state polls, says Muhyiddin

 

Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin urged Umno members to vote for the coalition in the state polls.

JEMPOL: Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin claims Barisan Nasional is in turmoil as only coalition lynchpin Umno is taking part in the state polls on Aug 12.

Speaking at a ceramah here, the former prime minister said that BN had never contested an election without MCA and MIC.

“I asked Surash (PN Jeram Padang’s candidate S Surash) who are you up against? He said BN. Who is the BN chief? (Ahmad) Zahid Hamidi. We are not fighting BN, we are fighting Umno,” said Muhyiddin.

On July 5, MCA announced that it would not contest in the elections that would be held in six states and would instead focus on preparing for the 16th general election. Fellow Barisan Nasional component MIC made a similar announcement within an hour.

However, Zahid had repeatedly said that MCA and MIC’s party machineries would assist all BN candidates.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin has also claimed that Umno is working with DAP in the unity government to “protect Zahid”, who is standing trial on 47 charges of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and corruption.

In January and February, Zahid, who is also the deputy prime minister, sent representations to the attorney-general’s chambers in connection with the charges. However, the court heard yesterday that prosecutors were still considering the representations.

A former Umno deputy president, Muhyiddin said the party could never work with DAP as both parties had failed to reach a common ground.

“He (Zahid) is willing to sacrifice his party to protect his position,” he said, urging Umno members to vote for PN in the state polls. - FMT