ISKANDAR PUTERI: Former state Umno chief Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad is keeping mum over claims that he is one of the 10 "warlords" from the party who will soon be joining Perikatan Nasional.
Hasni, who is also former Johor mentri besar, admitted that he had been receiving questions from certain quarters about the matter but had decided not to entertain it.
"Yes, there are people who have asked me about this but I do not want to answer it as I feel that any explanation I give will not be meaningful if labels such as warlords are already being used.
"I know that there are those who are associating me with the group but I have decided to just ignore it.
"In the current political climate, we should be forward-looking," he said, declining to comment further on the matter.
Hasni said this to reporters when met during the handing over ceremony of Southern Volunteers mock cheque to all 56 state assemblymen after the state assembly sitting here.
The Simpang Renggam MP added that now was not the time to put labels on anyone as the focus should be on making sure the country remains a top investment destination and maintain political stability.
"If the party is not stable, the government will also not be stable. Labelling fellow party members with terms such as warlords, traitor and parasite will not bring anything good," he said.
On Monday (June 12), Perikatan secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said that an announcement would soon be made on some 10 Umno "warlords" who will be joining the coalition.
"God-willing, we are preparing to make the announcement soon. This is to adjust all the programmes that we have set," he said at the Parliament lobby on Monday (June 12).
On June 6, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information chief Datuk Razali Idris said leaders that were sidelined by Umno were among those set to join Perikatan.
Citing sources, a Malay daily reported on Wednesday (June 14), that three out of the 10 'warlords' were from Johor and were "influential leaders who previously have important positions in Umno."
