KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s move in forging a collaborative alliance with UMNO’s sworn enemies to topple Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will not work. Instead, Barisan Nasional Strategic Communication director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the move would only strengthen Najib’s position as prime minister and UMNO president.
He said collaborating with sworn enemies of UMNO will only strengthen PM’s position within UMNO, he would like to thank you Tun (Dr Mahathir). He tweeted this yesterday. Dr Mahathir, who quit UMNO on March 1, yesterday signed a so-called Citizen’s Declaration in a move to oust Najib as the prime minister. Over 50 other people, including his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and their son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, signed the declaration.
The others included Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Datuk Mustafa Ali, Lim Kit Siang, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Datuk Mustafa Ali. Meanwhile, UMNO Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa described what happened as the “most entertaining drama” in the nation’s political history.
“We congratulate DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PAN (Parti Amanah Negara) and Bersih (electoral reform movement) because they finally accepted the former UMNO president (Dr Mahathir) when for decades we in UMNO had tried to get them to accept his leadership,” he said in a statement.
According to him, UMNO will continue to uphold the democratic process which it has defended all along. In the meantime, Annuar also said that UMNO also had no time to entertain “histrionics” because the mandate given by the people was to look after their welfare.
He said they are responsible for economic growth, foster unity, ensure peace and stability and defend the country’s sovereignty. UMNO Youth vice head Khairul Azwan Harun said the “strange bedfellows” combination (Dr Mahathir and Lim Kit Siang) was not qualified to pressure Najib, who was elected by the people and UMNO members, to step down.
he said in a statement that Tun Dr Mahathir should not be showing such a bad example to youths. He said when Tun Dr Mahathir was former UMNO president and prime minister, UMNO members stood by him through thick and thin. Meanwhile, UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the people’s declaration movement purportedly to save Malaysia by the Dr Mahathir, Muhyiddin and Mukriz did not reflect the aspiration of the people.
Using the people’s name when they signed the ‘people’s declaration’ would never be accepted whereas the people’s true declaration was the people’s voice during the general election, he said in a statement yesterday.
he Rural and Regional Development Minister said just wait for the people’s declaration in the 14th General Election. He said that is the real voice of the people and not through the group participated by Tun Mahathir, Tan Sri Muhyiddin and Datuk Seri Mukhriz yesterday.
“Thus, I hope all UMNO members will unite to oppose any action by the coalition of Tun Mahathir, Tan Sri Muhyiddin, Datuk Seri Mukhriz, DAP, PKR, PAN and Bersih which clearly are the main enemy of UMNO all this while,” said the Rural and Regional Development Minister.
Meanwhile, Minister if the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said described the group as frustrated and immature politicians and they clearly rejected the mandate given by the people in the last general election. In SABAH, Wanita UMNO condemned Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s move to forge a collaborative alliance with UMNO’s sworn enemies to topple Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Wanita UMNO chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the action of the two former leaders of the country is not only regrettable but so-called Citizen’s Declaration by Tun Mahathir and Muhyiddin has tarnished all the principles and struggles that both leaders had been equipped with when they were leaders in UMNO.
“The Wanita UMNO exco which met yesterday and delegates representing the Wanita UMNO throughout the country have unanimously pledged their support for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as the Prime Minister and UMNO President to lead the country as a leader who was elected through a democratic process,” said Shahrizat after chairing a Wanita UMNO exco meeting, here yesterday night.
Shahrizat said Wanita UMNO represent 1.3 million members and that is excluding the Puteri members. Shahrizat said their voice cannot be ‘sidelined’ or silenced. In KUALA LUMPUR, UMNO vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein also questioned Tun Mahathir’s wisdom for such a move.
“I cannot understand how Tun Mahathir and some UMNO leaders can join forces and sit together in the same table with the opposition leaders from PKR, PAS, DAP, AMANAH and other non-governmental organisations to topple the Prime Minister. This are the very same people who have tried various ways to bring down the stable government through protests, demonstrations and road rallies. Has he forgotten that these are the same NGOs that called Tun Mahathir a pharaoh,” he said.
Tun Mahathir, who quit UMNO on March 1, yesterday signed a so-called Citizen’s Declaration in a move to oust Najib as the prime minister. Over 50 other people, including his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and their son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, signed the declaration. The others included Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Datuk Mustafa Ali, Lim Kit Siang, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Datuk Mustafa Ali.
