Hisham Masterminding Umno Defections Claim Party Sources

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Former Umno vice-president Hishamuddin Hussein is masterminding the defections in Umno, alleged party sources
Sources told Malaysiakini this when asked to shed light on a cryptic Twitter posting by Umno lawmaker Khairy Jamaluddin following the exodus of more than a dozen Sabah Umno elected representatives this afternoon
Responding to a Twitter user who asked if there is anything he could do to stop the defections, Khairy replied: “Trying but there is a 'bangsawan' (elite) faction that is leading the charge to trigger mass defections.”Khairy Jamaluddin✔@KhairykjTrying but there is a bangsawan faction that is leading the charge to trigger mass defections
Mohd Shah bin Mohd Yusof@MohdShahbinMoh2Mr @Khairykj, is there anything u can do to avoid ur party mp from leaving ur party? Definitely not the way, dato @raishussin2083:36 PM - Dec 12, 2018Twitter Ads info and privacy138 people are talking about thisTwitter Ads info and privacyThough he did not mention names, sources told Malaysiakini this was in reference to Hishammuddin
"It's definitely him. But he (Hishammuddin) doesn't have the guts to do it (quit Umno) himself
"Just like he didn't have the guts to contest during the party elections. He preferred to stay on the sidelines like some 'Yoda' doing side deals with the government of the day," said one party leader on condition of anonymity
The leader claimed that Hishammuddin is likely being "taken for a ride" by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad
Malaysiakini is attempting to contact Hishammuddin for a response
Another party source, who also declined to be named, outlined what he claimed to be the two possible scenarios of Hishamuddin's “game plan”
“He wants to show Mahathir that he can bring MPs over and hence demand for a senior cabinet position even deputy prime minister. Help to further the anti-Anwar Ibrahim agenda whilst gaining for himself. He really sees himself as a future prime minister
“Alternatively, he would ride in like the white knight and contest for the Umno presidency later. Both options explain why he has been quiet on all fronts. He doesn't want to be seen as rocking the boat saying difficult things about party reform. Neither does he want to attack the government at all,” he added
The party leader accused Hishammuddin of deliberately shifting the attention to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's weak leadership
“So people would miss the elephant in the room. Which is that he wants to bring people to cross over for his own ambitions,” he added
However, another Umno insider rubbished the allegations against Hishammuddin, claiming that certain quarters, including those aligned to Zahid, have their daggers out for him.
"Hishammudddin won't quit Umno. He meets with Umno MPs to give them support and calm them down
"The president's people keep saying Hishammuddin wants to take people out of Umno... but the truth is that he is trying to help the president so that MPs don't quit," he added.

Hishammuddin is the grandson of Umno founder Onn Jaafar, and the son of the country's third prime minister Hussein Onn.

He is also the cousin of former Umno president Najib Abdul Razak. - Mkini

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