Zahid to stay put as Umno president

Supreme council: No need for him to go on leave unless it’s a collective decision

PETALING JAYA: The Umno supreme council is unlikely to act on the call for Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to go on leave to focus on his ongoing court cases.

A supreme council member said as the decision on the matter has to be a collective one, Dr Ahmad Zahid’s position as party president was not expected to be affected.

“He still has a good following within the council and to ask him to step down, it has to be a collective decision or you would be branded as a rebel.

“It looks like it will be a long drawn-out meeting,” said the member.

The supreme council is holding its monthly meeting tomorrow and it was earlier reported that Dr Ahmad Zahid’s position would be determined during the meeting.

This followed the corruption charges against Dr Ahmad Zahid, which prompted the Youth wing to suggest that he goes on leave until his court cases are settled.

Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said that it would be unfair for Dr Ahmad Zahid to be burdened with the many duties as party president while facing court cases in the current political climate.

This is the first time a serving Umno president has been hauled to court to face criminal charges.

Another supreme council member said it would not be an easy thing to tell the president to take leave.

He said that as much as he does not want to preempt what could happen, there were many in the supreme council who would be “followers in voting”.

Another long-time supreme council member said that if they were to vote for Dr Ahmad Zahid to take leave from presidential duties, it might set a precedent that whoever faces a court charge may have to take leave.

“This will give ideas to our rivals to attack Umno,” said the member.