An Umno leader has shot down former information minister Zainuddin Maidin's suggestion for the party to convene an emergency supreme council meeting to confirm its support for party president Najib Razak.

 

"I don't see any relevance in Zainuddin's suggestion," supreme council member Reezal Merican Naina Merican said.

 

"There's no need for Umno to call for an emergency meeting. Umno doesn't has a support (Najib) crisis," Reezaltold Malaysiakini yesterday.

 

He said nobody from the party, whether an MP or a supreme council member, has so far said he or she no longer backs Najib, who is the country's prime minister.

 

According to him, some leaders have voiced their opinion on party matters in a diplomatic way, while others have been vocal and critical.

 

"This happens in other parties too. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is being challenged - will PAS call for an emergency central committee meeting?" Reezal asked.

 

"Criticism is pretty normal. One must be able to cherish differences in opinions," he said.

 

On Thursday, Zainuddin called for a party emergency meeting following Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin's call for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd board to be sacked and investigated by the police.

                                                        

One man's words carry no weight

 

However, Reezal, who is also the MP for Kepala Batas, does not see anything wrong in Muhyiddin's criticism.

 

He said Muhyiddin was only criticising Najib's brainchild 1MDB - an issue which is already public knowledge.

 

The deputy president did not cast aspersions on Najib, Reezal stressed.

 

"Why must being critical and not agreeable to an issue equate to opposing the presidency? That's completely absurd," he said.

 

When asked about the calls to sack the party president, which was also heard in the leaked video of Muhyiddin’s speech and confirmed by an anonymous grassroots leader at the meeting, Reezal said the voice of one person out of 400 members does not carry much weight.

           

"Well, the crowd could be carried away by sentiments," he said, referring to the applause and cheers from those who attended the Umno meeting  held in Janda Baik, Pahang, last week.

 

The meeting was attended by four Umno divisions - Pontian, Bentong, Hulu Langat and Pagoh. It was a three-day training to 'strengthen the party' ahead of the next general election.