Zahid saved M'sia, Umno man tells 'Save Malaysia' rally organiser

Federal Territories Umno information chief Gulam Muszaffar has censured Perikatan Nasional Youth for organising a “Save Malaysia” gathering on Sept 16 and calling for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to be charged again

Describing it as a “narrow-minded” move, he said PN Youth should realise that it was the Umno president who had “saved Malaysia” amid a political deadlock after the last general election.

“I wish to remind PN Youth leaders who were involved (in the protest) and Zahid ‘haters’ that it was this figure who saved Malaysia from a hung Parliament and political uncertainty.

“Zahid’s courageous move for the nation to become part of the coalition government at the behest of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had put a full stop to the political chaos at the time,” he said in a statement published on Umno Online.

According to the Batu Umno division leader, Zahid’s political foes were livid with the Umno president when he prioritised the nation’s well-being over his own popularity.

“There is no doubt, he has the courage for his race (bangsa). But he has been insulted, slandered and humiliated instead of being celebrated.

“As Umno members, we must defend the narrative that Zahid was the one who saved Malaysia,” he added.

Gulam also accused PN Youth of having a hidden agenda behind the protest, which is to protect their leaders who are running out of time with regard to their respective court cases.

“They hope that if the government changes, the cases will be dropped. That is their real objective,” he added.

As a countermeasure to PN Youth’s “Save Malaysia” campaign, Gulam suggested that Umno members organise a campaign called “Mencari Menantu Midin Yang Hilang”.

The Umno grassroots leader was referring to PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin’s son-in-law Muhammad Adlan Berhan who is being sought by MACC in relation to the alleged misappropriation in the registration, recruitment and biometric storage of foreign workers.

On Sept 4, Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) after the prosecution withdrew 47 charges of corruption and money laundering related to Yayasan Akalbudi.

One of the grounds cited is that the Umno president could be a victim of selective prosecution.

Mahathir’s vendetta, RCI for Thomas’ memoir

Meanwhile, Kedah Umno information chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin trained his guns on Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former attorney-general Tommy Thomas.

Responding to the former premier’s Facebook posting on the DNAA, he said: “Zahid’s prosecution shows there was a ‘drive’ or pressure from Mahathir based on his vendetta which started even before the 14th general election (in 2018).

“It is common knowledge that it is Mahathir’s modus operandi to use the legal system as a tool to kill his political opponents.

“Mahathir himself admitted to threatening the Umno president by using Umno as hostage… It is clear that threats and intimidation were levelled against Zahid,” he added on Umno Online.

Therefore, Shaiful urged the government to expedite the formation of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Thomas’ memoir, which is the “only hope to expose to Malaysians the existence of an immensely cruel former leader”.

Yesterday, Mahathir accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of attempting to create the impression that Zahid was wronged and therefore linked the issue of him asking Zahid to dissolve Umno.

“If I had abused my powers and ordered the prosecutor (Attorney-General’s Chambers) at the time to pressure Zahid, why didn’t a single cabinet minister or Pakatan Harapan leader, including Anwar, question why Zahid was hauled to court?” he added.

Mahathir also admitted instructing Zahid to dissolve Umno but clarified that he did so because he was confident the latter would use the party as a “bargaining chip” to avoid prosecution.

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