Zahid Slams Umno Members Who Put Personal Interests Ahead Of Party

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Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno members should set aside their personal agendas. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged party members to remain steadfast and not be swayed by offers driven by personal interest.
Calling for loyalty to the party, he criticised Umno members who were willing to abandon the party’s struggle to achieve personal interests.
Umno gives priority to those loyal to the party over “those who are intelligent but lack passion for the party”, Berita Harian quoted him as saying. “I am not referring to anyone who is alive or dead, but we have to remember that in difficult times, the grassroot members helped Umno and BN,” he said.
The Umno president’s remarks came amid speculation that Supreme Council member Tengku Zafrul Aziz was planning to leave the party to join PKR. Yesterday, FMT reported that Tengku Zafrul is negotiating a move to PKR, with a decision expected within “the next two days”.
Zahid said Umno members and leaders should prioritise the party’s interests over personal interests. “Any personal agenda should be set aside. If personal interests are given priority, then we leave it to the members and the people to judge the integrity of that person,” he said.
He also urged coalition allies in the unity government to refrain from poaching members from other partners in the ruling coalition, and not to accept members from coalition partners.
Zahid, who is Barisan Nasional chairman, said coalition allies must respect BN just as BN respects other partners. “We should maintain unity among us,” he said. “I respect other coalition partners, but other parties please respect BN, please respect Umno.”
His remarks were made in Kuala Lumpur and in Alor Setar, where he opened the Kedah BN convention, He said BN was confident about regaining power in Kedah from Perikatan Nasional. “We see Kedah as a ‘swing state’, as well as Terengganu and Perlis,” he said.
The state governments of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu are controlled by PN through PAS and Bersatu. - FMT

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