Friday 29 Mar 2024
By
main news image

KUALA LUMPUR (July 1): Umno vice president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will remain as Opposition leader in Parliament, says Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"I have made a decision where the agreement among all members of the Opposition, which was done when I was on leave, to place Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Opposition leader will remain.

"This means for now there is separation of power between the roles of myself, Mohamad Hasan, Ismail Sabri and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid as Chief Whip for the Opposition," Zahid said during a press conference in Parliament today.

This, he said, follows a meeting with Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who helmed Umno in his absence, to discuss the tasks ahead.

Zahid, who announced his return from garden leave at an Umno event in Perak last weekend, also urged party members to move collectively in light of the scandals and allegations plaguing the party and its leadership.

"My priority is to ensure Umno is accepted by the Rakyat and remains relevant in national politics regardless of all the issues thrown at the party and its leadership, and god willing, we will face all these issues collectively," he said.

Zahid's return raised new questions on the road ahead for Umno and the bigger Barisan Nasional coalition.

Zahid is an early proponent of the Umno-PAS collaboration, which came about when BN was still in power and flourished after the coalition was made Opposition after the 14th general election.

He is also speculated to be a person who is friendlier with prime minister-in-waiting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently committed to give space to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to sort out the administration before passing the baton.

It is unclear if Zahid's return is welcomed by BN coalition members, in light of the 87 charges against him in court amid allegation of corruption and abuse of power during his tenure as deputy prime minister.

On that, Zahid insisted that the charges against him are personal, and do not implicate Umno as a political organisation.

"Let me personally overcome these allegations in court... For sure, the allegations will not stop me from fulfilling my duties as Umno president, what more as a Member of Parliament," he said.

      Print
      Text Size
      Share