Puchong Umno cuts ties with PH over Yeo’s Najib remarks

The Umno division says it made this decision after DAP’s Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin did not apologise within the 24-hour period given.

DAP MP Yeo Bee Yin had posted on Facebook, ‘another reason to celebrate this year end’, following the High Court’s dismissal of Najib’s Razak’s bid for house arrest.

PETALING JAYA:

 The Puchong Umno division has decided to sever ties with its Pakatan Harapan counterpart after DAP MP Yeo Bee Yin refused to apologise over her remarks on former prime minister Najib Razak’s failed bid for house arrest.

The Umno division had given Yeo, the Puchong MP, a 24-hour period ending at 4pm on Christmas eve, to issue her apology.

Division secretary Yusof Yassin said this meant no further political cooperation between Umno (or BN) and PH within the Puchong parliamentary constituency as well as the Seri Serdang and Seri Kembangan state constituencies.

“Following this decision, Puchong Umno will operate independently at the parliamentary and state levels.

“Support for any Puchong PH candidate in any by-election or general election will be conditional or may not be given at all,” he said in a statement.

Yusof said the Umno division would no longer hold joint meetings, coordinate or organise political activities, community programmes or joint campaigns. It would also not collaborate in electoral strategies, planning or operations with Puchong PH.

He added that the division was no longer responsible for safeguarding the political interests of Puchong PH.

“Puchong Umno will be free to adopt its own stance on all local issues.”

Yusof said the decision was a form of protest and defence of the party’s principles and dignity. However, its position would not affect national-level cooperation, unless directed otherwise by Umno or BN’s central leadership.

Yeo had posted on Facebook, “another reason to celebrate this year end”, following the High Court’s dismissal of Najib’s judicial review application to compel the government to allow him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest.

The judicial review was filed last year seeking to compel the government to execute a royal addendum, or supplementary decree, to place him under house arrest.

Yeo’s remarks drew the ire of Umno leaders, including its secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who said it was perhaps time for his party to review its cooperation with those who did not appreciate the party’s contributions.

Yeo was also criticised by rapper-turned-politician Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad of PKR and fellow DAP member Ong Kian Ming. - FMT