Sanusi views BN-PN pact as a PAS-Umno affair, says Puad

 The ex-Umno Supreme Council member says Sanusi Nor views the pact as one centred on Malay unity, with other parties such as MCA and MIC sidelined.

Former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said Sanusi Nor’s remarks reflected a view of the BN-PN cooperation centred only on PAS and Umno.

PETALING JAYA:

Sanusi Nor’s recent controversial remarks stem from his view of Perikatan Nasional’s electoral cooperation with Barisan Nasional as only a matter between PAS and Umno, says former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi.

Puad said Sanusi, the PN election director, was known for “speaking without thinking”. However, in asking why Sanusi kept making such controversial remarks, Puad said: “It is because Sanusi views the cooperation only from the perspective of Umno and PAS. For PAS, the unity of the ummah is the priority. MCA, MIC, MIPP and Gerakan are merely passengers.”

Puad said Sanusi’s remarks had hurt Umno, and he backed the call by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for Sanusi, who is Kedah menteri besar, to focus on Kedah instead. “The problem is that in Kedah, Sanusi does not have much work to do. The state has no growth,” Puad said.

At a ceramah on Thursday night, Sanusi was reported to have said that Malays only have Tanah Melayu as their homeland, while Chinese and Indians have China and India respectively. The remarks drew criticism from several DAP leaders and MIC president SA Vigneswaran, who called on BN to review its electoral pact with PN for the Negeri Sembilan state election.

Sanusi has since claimed his remarks were distorted for political gain and he threatened legal action against those responsible. - FMT