Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 31): Senior Umno lawmaker 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," Nazri told reporters at the Parliament lobby today. "When the president was charged in court, (their reaction) was very quick, just like 'cannibalism', eating each other [within the same party]."

The Padang Rengas MP pointed out that when DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was charged in court for 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, said Nazri.

"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 the right to free speech. If they (Umno Youth) want to express their views, let them 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.

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