PETALING JAYA: Johor Umno remains intact despite the central leadership’s decision to drop a few big names from the state, including former minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, says Johor Umno deputy chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.
He said he was confident that leaders from his state would not leave the party.
Nur Jazlan said the cooperation between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan was more relevant in Johor due to the state’s diverse mix of communities of various races unlike the northern states.
“So, the Barisan-Pakatan pact makes more sense to many Johor Umno members. I don’t expect them to leave Umno,” he said yesterday.
Nur Jazlan, who is former Pulai MP, said he was not worried about former Umno supreme council member Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin who had stated his intention to join PKR. “He is free to go,” said Nur Jazlan.
Zahidi said yesterday that he would apply to join PKR in February along with 100 Padang Besar Umno division members.
He was sacked from Umno in November last year after standing as an independent in GE15 after being dropped.
Johor Umno treasurer Datuk Md Jais Sarday (pic) called on all party leaders to close ranks and prevent divisions following the decision by the party against some of its leaders.
He believed that Johor Umno would stay strong, adding that it had contributed 33 of the 40 seats that Barisan Nasional won in the state election last year.
When asked about the existence of two camps in the state Umno, Md Jais, who is Johor Umno treasurer, said such things happen in any political party.
Johor Umno is said to be split between one side supporting vice-president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and the other backing Sembrong MP Hishammuddin, who was among those suspended.
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