Penang Umno: Take stern action against saboteur
BUTTERWORTH: Penang Umno wants stern action taken against the mastermind who helped the group of Umno members of parliament (MPs) leave the party.
State Umno chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said the person’s move to sabotage the party was disappointing and action must be taken against him.
“If party leaders know who is the mastermind, they should take action against him.”
Previously, former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin claimed that there was a “bangsawan” (member of the nobility) who was behind the action of several Sabah Umno leaders in leaving the party
It is believed that Khairy was referring to former Umno vicepresident Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
However, Hishammuddin had dismissed the claim.
Musa pledged Penang Umno’s support for the leadership of president, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said Umno did not need to call for an extraordinary general meeting and party leaders should carry out their duties as usual.
“As long as he is our president, we will support him and whoever succeeds him, we will support the new president.
“An EGM is unnecessary unless the president and deputy president leave the party.
“We have the party constitution.”
He challenged Datuk Shabudin Yahaya to step down as Tasek Gelugor MP following his decision to leave the party on Friday.
He said party members were disappointed by Shabudin’s decision.
“He contested on the Barisan Nasional ticket, not on his own capacity,” Musa said, pointing out that the decision had betrayed voters.
“So I challenge him to step down and make way for another candidate (to contest) a by-election.
“Just because we (BN) lost six, seven months ago, he has given up.
“Where are his words wanting to fight until the end?
“Good luck to Shabudin,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.
Present was state opposition leader and Tasek Gelugor division chief Muhamad Yusuff Mohd Noor.
Yusuff said Shabudin’s decision to leave the party came as a surprise as it was neither mentioned nor discussed at the party division level.
However, he said the division accepted Shabudin’s decision.
“We will hold a series of tours to branches to explain the current situation of the party. If this tour is not done, it could affect Umno heavily in the future.”
On Friday, the New Straits Times Press reported that six Umno MPs had announced they were leaving the party.
They were Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid, Mersing MP Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad, Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Mohamad Fasiah Mohd Fakeh, Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz and Shabudin.
Resignation letters were submitted to Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa.