KUALA LUMPUR: Reiterating the "No Anwar, No DAP" stance, a group of Umno division leaders have said that any decision to work with Pakatan Harapan runs counter to the decision made at the Umno General Assembly.
Tan Sri Annuar Musa who is the Ketereh Umno division chief questioned how would Umno face its supporters due to the change in stance.
“'I believe (the situation in) Umno will become worse as the current leader has dragged Umno to go against the decision (of the general assembly),” he told a press conference with other Umno division chiefs at the Riverside Cafe at the World Trade Centre.
Our members who are defending us now will run away from us,” he added.
Calling Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi a liability to the party, Annuar said he must follow former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s footsteps and step down as president of the party after a dismal show at the polls.
He appealed to Ahmad Zahid to be magnanimous enough to relinquish his position.
He said the damage will be worse if Ahmad Zahid refused to step down before the party elections.
He said Umno division chiefs had always abided by Ahmad Zahid’s decisions due to their love for the party.
Annuar also claimed that today’s events have proven his revelation of a “pre-mediated plan” in 2020, where Ahmad Zahid had allegedly supported Anwar to be appointed as the prime minister behind the backs of Umno leaders.
“I was called a traitor but today it has been proven,” he said.
I knew about the plan in July and August 2020. There was a quiet meeting at a house in Ampang to make Anwar the prime minister,” he said, while adding that several Umno leaders were also asked to sign statutory declarations.
“Today the ultimate plan has been revealed,” he added.
On Umno being the kingmaker, he said Umno was meant to rule and not be a kingmaker and elevate others.
“Unless they want to offer the prime minister post, (then) we will support. If PH wants to offer Umno the prime minister post. If PN wants to offer the prime minister post, we will support it,” he said.
He said he was also confident that Umno would emerge stronger in the 16th General Election (GE16).
On a potential candidate for the Umno presidency, he said it is best to wait for nominations to open.
“I also have the ambition to become the president,” he said coyly while adding that Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein may also be eyeing the post.
“(Then there is) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who is the most deserving candidate to be the president,” he said.
Meanwhile, Umno Batu chief Datuk Yahya Mat Ghani who was also at the press conference said the division chiefs must be consulted first if the leadership decides to work with Pakatan as Umno MPs make up the bulk of the Barisan Nasional seats.
He added if any decision is to be made on working with Pakatan, an Umno general assembly must be held first, as it goes against the assembly's previous decision.
Yahya also said that Umno was ready to be in the Opposition bloc.
