Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court March 12, 2021. — Picture by Emmanuel Santa Maria Chin
KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi has urged the party to not compromise with fellow members in the Cabinet when they went against the party’s decision to retract support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Taking to Facebook, Puad said the party must be stern in enforcing discipline and violations of any decisions by the central leadership must be taken action against.
He cited nine of the party’s federal lawmakers who are currently in the Cabinet that unanimously made a songsang (perverse) decision to support Muhyiddin on the pretense of using the rakyat, pandemic, Malay disunity and government allocations as an excuse to justify.
“People say Umno is broken. Umno is said to be feuding not because of the party’s election. Umno seemed to be in disharmony because there are some going against the party’s decision.
“They are willing to be power brokers, selling the party and negotiating without the party’s blessing. Their purpose is to retain their positions or are worried for their safety.
“If three remains (with the party), then three it is. Grassroot members won’t leave. Those on the other side will have what’s coming. They discarded the party after reaping the benefits.
“Umno cannot be apologetic, claiming to be afraid of disunity. Discipline is discipline. A violation will have repercussions. There is no compromise in discipline,” he said.
Puad also appeared to suggest that only three out of Umno’s 38 federal lawmakers were willing to abide by the party’s rule.
This as members of the Cabinet said they have unanimously decided to support the leadership Muhyiddin as the Prime Minister at its weekly meeting.
Muhyiddin’s position has been threatened after the Umno supreme council made a decision to withdraw its support in its meeting on July 7.
However, despite the announcement by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on July 7, Umno members who are in the Cabinet had been defending Muhyiddin and slagging off their own president and other party leaders who made the statement.