Tok Mat: Those saying Umno sought PM's 'help' with Najib's case don't speak for the party

IPOH: Anyone who claims Umno tried to get the Prime Minister to intervene in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's final SRC appeal does not represent the party, says its deputy president.

"Any (official) statement from the party will be issued by the secretary-general," said Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, popularly known as Tok Mat.

He was commenting on speculation that Umno had urged or pressured Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to intervene in the ongoing appeal at the Federal Court.

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“There are too many 'peramal ahli nujum' (soothsayers) these days,” he told reporters after meeting Perak divisions' political bureaus at the Umno building here Tuesday (Aug 23).

The Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, who is also the coalition’s election director, said he had made a statement recently on his disappointment that Najib was not getting the required space to defend himself, and hoped that the former premier would be given a fair trial.

“I am not, and neither is Umno, questioning the credibility of the judiciary and the courts, but I am merely saying that a fair trial is necessary for any accused without looking at their status,” he added.

Tok Mat reiterated that the party never sought any form of interference by anyone in the case.

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“That is one fact I can reassure everyone. We just want a fair trial, that is all,” he added.

“People used to say if the Prime Minister is from Umno then there will be interference in the case,but even (party president) Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s trial is still ongoing,” he added.

“The Prime Minister is from Umno now, but he has never interfered in any of the cases,” he added.

On several Umno leaders and division heads meeting Ismail Sabri at Seri Perdana on Monday (Aug 22), Tok Mat said it was nothing out of the ordinary.

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He said he himself met Ismail Sabri frequently to brief him on each state's preparations for the 15th General Election (GE15).

“This is crucial for him to advise the King on a suitable date to dissolve Parliament,” he added.

On the pressure to call for GE15 soon, he said: "Pressure aside, what is more important is for the PM to (decide) if the party, Barisan and the (election) machinery are ready."