‘You’re not alone’: Parties reach out to axed Umno leaders

PETALING JAYA – Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders have reached out to the

leaders who were suspended and sacked by Umno on Friday

to tell them that they are not alone.

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim, a former Umno top gun who himself was sacked from the party recently, called Umno “a mad party which is eagerly sacking everyone”.

“Those who were sacked, stay patient. We will defend you. Long live Perikatan,” Datuk Seri Shahidan posted on Facebook early on Saturday morning after the announcement was made.

Mr Shahidan was dropped as a candidate of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition for the last general election, prompting him to seek a PN seat. He was then sacked by Umno, along with a few other party leaders who went rogue last November.

Mr Khairy Jamaluddin and other Umno members who were sacked or suspended recently are welcome to make an appeal to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, said its president Muhyiddin Yassin.

“Bersatu’s membership policy has always been open to any Malay bumiputera or pribumi who wants to join. We also have an association wing for other races to join,” he said on Saturday.

“Khairy is a smart man and is loved by many. I know him well as he was a minister under my Cabinet. He has good qualifications and is mature in politics.

“It depends on him. If he feels that it is suitable (to join Bersatu), then he can apply and we will consider it,” said Tan Sri Muhyiddin, who is also PN’s chairman.

Bersatu deputy president Faizal Azumu also told those who were sacked that they were now free.

“Dear brothers, your wings are no longer clipped. Now, you can soar even higher. May God bless your holy struggle,” tweeted Datuk Seri Faizal, the former Tambun MP.

Meanwhile, former Ketereh Umno division head and ex-Ketereh MP Annuar Musa posted a lengthy note on Facebook stating that the suspension and sacking were made to silence those who spoke the truth.

“Be calm and patient. Sacking those who do not agree with your views is the easiest way to stay in power. Truth has a high price... and remember that even though these people are in power, there is a higher power,” said Tan Sri Annuar, who himself was sacked after the last general election, together with Mr Shahidan.

Mr Annuar further stated that the voters had given Umno indications of what they wanted but the leaders were “in denial”, referring to the fact that Umno gained the least number of seats in the party’s history in the last election.

“The cleansing that they are doing will only produce more dirt as the dirt is still stuck within the party, even though the party is being destroyed.

“They created lies and finally, they believed in their own lies. Let Umno be their own personal armour, we continue our struggle in our own way,” said Mr Annuar.

Meanwhile, Gerakan was the first party to openly court former health minister Khairy following his sacking from Umno on Friday.

Parti Gerakan Rakyat’s acting youth chief Wong Chia Zhen said Mr Khairy would be a perfect fit for the party.

“Umno’s supreme council has decided to sack former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin for breaching party discipline due to offences during the 15th General Election.

“In my opinion, the decision of the (Umno) council is not appropriate because Khairy is a politician of calibre and succeeded in putting pressure on his opponent in Sungai Buloh during the last election,” said Mr Wong in a statement.

“The majority won by the PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) candidate was reduced from 10,000 to 1,000, proving to be the only Pakatan Harapan stronghold that almost lost.”

Mr Wong added: “We believe that at the lowest point in his political career, we can support him.

“The ideology of our party is based on simplicity and with the credibility he has, I am sure this will give Khairy a new lease of life.”

Meanwhile, PKR will hold a discussion first if any sacked Umno leader expresses interest in joining the party, said PKR’s deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

Mr Rafizi said he could not make the decision alone; it has to be made collectively.

“We have to discuss that first at the party level. It is not my decision alone. I think we have to look at it on a case-to-case basis,” he said at the Parliament Lecture Series 1.0: Resetting the Malaysian Economy on Friday, according to newspaper Sinar Harian.

Mr Rafizi, who is also the Pandan MP, added that discussions at the party level would be held if the matter arose.

“If the matter arises, PKR will definitely have to discuss it. And we haven’t got there yet. No matters have been raised. As long as it does not arise, it will only be speculation,” he said.

Asked about Umno’s purge, Malaysian Transport Minister and Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Anthony Loke said it is up to the individual leaders to chart their next political move, with no need for DAP to make any open invitations.

“That depends on them. They haven’t voiced their intentions yet. We don’t have to jump the gun. If there’s any application from anyone, the respective parties will consider. We don’t want to pre-empt anything,” he said, declining to comment on the “internal issues” of Umno, a component party in Malaysia’s unity government.

On Friday, Umno sacked its former youth chief Khairy and supreme council member Noh Omar.

Others punished included former party vice-president and Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, who was suspended for six years.

Former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, former youth executive council member Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Johor state executive council member and Tebrau Umno division chief Maulizan Bujang, and former Jempol MP Mohd Salim Mohd Shariff were also suspended for six years.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK