PETALING JAYA: PPBM Kepong division chief Norizan Ali says Umno leaders facing court cases must follow the example set by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who had also faced trials in court previously.
Norizan pointed out that the opposition leader had not only been willing to sit through his court trials, but was also ready to face jail time, Sinar Harian reported.
He said Anwar’s confidence and perseverance was the reason he and PKR still received support from voters in the last general election (GE14).
Norizan added that the Umno leaders involved should seek to clear their names through the legal processes, rather than making political threats, as it would only embarrass the party.
“The Perikatan Nasional government led by PPBM under Muhyiddin Yassin was formed for the sake of the Malays and Islam, and to save the country.
“The government was not formed to wash away the sins committed by Umno leaders with ongoing court cases for the various offences they had allegedly committed,” he was quoted as saying by the Malay daily.
Norizan called for Umno leaders to follow Muhyiddin’s call to work together in restoring the country without any personal agendas.
“Based on their past comments on the fight for religion, race and the country, these Umno leaders facing trial should now prove those words, instead of fighting to free themselves from prison.”
Six Umno leaders who are also MPs are either currently facing trial or appealing convictions, including Najib Razak, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Ahmad Maslan, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Azeez Abdul Rahim and Bung Moktar Radin.