Umno having high-level meeting in Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR: A high-level Umno meeting is taking place at Wisma Perwira here involving party top guns.

It is understood that the meeting was organised by Umno vice president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who invited Barisan Nasional advisory board chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak, party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and several other Umno leaders who are not keen on the party parting ways with Perikatan Nasional.

The meeting started at 9pm and ended at around 11.30pm.

Party sources claimed that Ismail Sabri, who is Defence Minister, is currently acting as mediator between Umno leaders who want the party to leave Perikatan before Aug 1 and those who want to stay on.

Scores of journalists were also seen at the Defence Ministry building car park along Jalan Padang Tembak.

The late-night meeting followed an unofficial Umno meeting earlier Monday (July 5) involving Ahmad Zahid and Umno MPs at the KL World Trade Centre, where the party headquarters is located

Sources said there are at least two Umno ministers who want the party to leave Perikatan, as well as vocal veteran leaders such as Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abd Rahman.

However, the high-level source said the situation remains fluid at present as negotiations are taking place.

Meanwhile, another source said speculation of the two Umno ministers leaving the Perikatan government may not materialise as elections are around the corner.

"The thing is, the ministers are facing pressure from the grassroots who want them to quit.

"But it's not a secret. We are heading for elections anytime soon, once the Covid-19 situation improves.

"These ministers would definitely need ministry resources to campaign and they will surely want to stay on as ministers until the general election," said the source.

Zahid had previously set July 5 as the deadline for a 14-day ultimatum for Parliament to reconvene.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin announced on July 5 that Parliament would convene for a five-day meeting from July 26.