ZAHID: PPBM’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED
Leaders’ departures confirm predictions party won’t last long, says Umno vice-president
THE decision by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) founding member and vice-president to leave the party is a clear indication of the party’s short lifespan.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the development confirmed predictions that the Umno splinter party would not last long.
He said history showed that parties formed on the basis of personal vendettas rarely survived long.
“This is not surprising because PPBM was formed based on personal grudges, instead of the desire to uphold the struggles of our race, religion and the nation,” he said after opening the Arau Umno division delegates’ meeting at Dewan 2020 here yesterday.
Zahid, who is also Umno vicepresident, said signs that PPBM was crumbling were evident when only 300 members attended its first anniversary celebration in Muar, Johor, recently.
He questioned how PPBM, a new party, was given the leading role in the Pakatan Harapan pact, and asked whether the party was being used by political puppetmasters to create a division among the people to achieve their agenda.
“These puppetmasters have a big agenda, and their agenda is much bigger than the goals of their puppets.
“It is high time the people in the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak put a stop to these puppetmasters who are creating divisions among the people by playing up racial and religious sentiments.
“Malaysians have to rise and unite... we should show them that their days are numbered.”
He was commenting on the move by PPBM vicepresident Datuk Hamidah Osman to quit the party.
She also resigned as Gopeng divisional committee chief.
She was the second PPBM senior member to quit the party.
On Saturday, Anina Saadudin, one of seven PPBM founding members, announced her resignation from the party.
She claimed that cronyism was the main reason some party members left the year-old party.
PPBM founding member and Supreme Council member Kamarul Zaman Habibur Rahman left the party earlier this year.