This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 1, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Senior Umno member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has slammed the party’s youth wing for asking party president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi to go on leave pending the settlement of his court cases, saying the act is akin to “cannibalism”.  

“I don’t understand this Umno Youth. When the president was charged in court, (their reaction) was quick, just like ‘cannibalism’, eating each other [within the same party],” Nazri told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

The Padang Rengas MP said when DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was charged in court with alleged corruption, no DAP members had asked him to go on leave.

Similarly, when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was jailed, he remained as the de-facto leader of the then Pakatan Rakyat, he said.

“This shows the loyalty of party members in DAP and PKR. Whatever happens to their leaders, they remain loyal to the leader,” he said.  

Nazri added that Zahid is not a public servant, so there is no need for him to temporarily vacate his party position.

“In this regard, if the person himself does not feel that he should take leave, there is nothing we can do about it.

“However, Umno allows free speech. If they (Umno Youth) want to express their views, let it be. In the end, it will be up to the (party’s) supreme council, of which I am not a member,” Nazri added.

Earlier this month, Zahid claimed trial to 45 charges of money laundering involving RM72 million and criminal breach of trust and accepting bribes involving RM42 million.

Following that, Umno Youth chief Dr Asyraf Wajdi urged him to go on leave, saying it would be unfair for him to be burdened with the many duties as party president while facing court cases.

On another matter, Nazri, who is the new Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general said that the new opposition coalition — that is currently being formed — will take on a new name as the name ‘Barisan Nasional’ is no longer relevant in Malaysia.

 On Saturday, Nazri confirmed he was appointed the new Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general to take on the responsibility to rebrand and restructure the coalition as suggested by its chairman Zahid.

 Nazri added that he is in the midst of setting up a meeting with PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan to discuss the possible coalition.