Thursday May 22, 2008
Mukhriz faces action over call for Abdullah to quit
By LOONG MENG YEE and TEH ENG HOCK
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth will refer Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to the party’s management committee for action to be taken for asking Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as party president.
Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein hit out at the Jerlun MP, who is also an executive council member of the movement, saying: “Mukhriz pressuring the president to step down is nothing new, but what I am sad and disappointed over and cannot accept is that he set conditions by saying that if the president did not resign by July, he would not hesitate to leave the party.”
In an immediate response, Mukhriz said he was prepared to face any possible action but hoped “we are not told to shut our mouths”.
“I am prepared. Had I not been, I would not have made public statements. As for my position, I have made it known I will remain in Umno. I will also not leave Barisan Nasional. That will be my very last option,” said Mukhriz at the Parliament lobby Wednesday.
He said Hishammuddin had misunderstood his remarks, adding that he had not issued an ultimatum for Abdullah to resign by July because “the cause and effect is not as direct as that”.
“I said the branch meetings would start in July and hoped changes would occur before the meetings start,” he said.
Hishammuddin said that as the Youth wing was not empowered to impose disciplinary action on Mukhriz, he would raise the matter with the management committee chaired by party deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“Loyalty to the party cannot be sold, mocked or used to hold someone to ransom.”
Hishammuddin said Mukhriz had made known his stand in a letter to Abdullah before, and many others had also voiced similar views.
He said he would be meeting three Umno Youth members, who were with Mukhriz when the latter made the statement, to find out their stand.
Asked how Dr Mahathir had reacted to his decision, Mukhriz replied, ”He understands my position although he was a bit disappointed.”
He said the battle he was waging against Abdullah had somewhat ostracised him.
On attending the Umno Youth exco meeting on Friday, Mukhriz said: “I have faced difficult situations before.”
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