JOHOR BARU: Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has proven with his "tell-all" conference that he, and not Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is a liability to the party, says Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
The Johor Umno deputy chairman questioned the Pasir Salak MP and former supreme council member's claim that 130 division chiefs did not support Ahmad Zahid.
“There has been no motion from any division throughout the country that wants Ahmad Zahid to step down as party president," Nur Jazlan told The Star here on Tuesday (June 28).
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“In fact, Umno, under the leadership of Ahmad Zahid, successfully carried out its annual general meetings (AGM) and even an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) without any divisions calling for him to step down."
He reminded Ahmad Zahid's critics within the party to respect the decisions made during the AGMs and EGM as they came from Umno's grassroots.
Nur Jazlan, however, wished Tajuddin the best of luck in his next endeavour as Malaysia's ambassador to Indonesia.
“I hope and pray that Malaysia and Indonesia's relationship will continue to thrive following his appointment as our ambassador there,” he said.
ALSO READ: Analysts: Tajuddin’s tell-all reflects badly on him
In a press conference on Monday (June 27), Tajuddin claimed there was a movement led by Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Datuk Seri Najib Razak to pressure Ahmad Zahid into resigning as party president.
Tajuddin alleged that the plot was to collect signatures from division chiefs for a memorandum urging Ahmad Zahid’s resignation, and that preliminary internal party studies had shown that this move was supported by 130 out of 191 Umno division chiefs.
He said the plot was hatched in a meeting at his house in May 2020. He did not give a specific date.
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“The purpose of this meeting was to draft a memorandum to urge Ahmad Zahid to resign (as party president) for Umno’s interest.
“So, we agreed at this meeting that we should draft this memorandum... Tok Mat was leading and then ‘Bossku’,” he said, referring to the respective nicknames of Mohamad and Najib.
Aside from Mohamad and Najib, Tajuddin claimed, the meeting at his house was also attended by several prominent leaders including party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Tajuddin, who showed reporters pictures purportedly from the clandestine meeting, said he could also reveal the names of the 130 division chiefs who were in favour of Ahmad Zahid resigning.
“There are about 18 division chiefs in Perak and 18 in Selangor who support this. If there is a need to show the list, I can do it.
“But there is no need to show, because I protect my friends,” he said.
However, he claimed that the plan to hand the memorandum to Ahmad Zahid failed to take off when Mohamad suddenly backtracked after the Umno deputy president was threatened by “budak Zahid” (Zahid’s boys).
