JOHOR BARU, July 10 — Johor DAP Youth chief Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali said the latest “verbal” spat between Rural Development Minister Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad and Umno leaders is a clear signal that there is no cooperation between the political parties within the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
He said Umno’s issue with the Mersing MP shows that internal conflict does exist within the ruling political coalition.
“For Umno, the existence of PN is merely a weapon for them to seize power from Bersatu led by its president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“This situation will definitely force Muhyiddin to have no choice but to join Umno and disregard Bersatu or remain as a minority prime minister, waiting for his fate to be determined by the heirs of the kleptocratic regime at any time,” Sheikh Umar said in a statement today.
The Paloh assemblyman and former state government executive council member under the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration said Umno’s president and former president (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) had also openly responded to Abdul Latiff by declaring to take back the Mersing parliamentary seat.
He said such remarks is a blow to Muhyiddin and will affect Bersatu’s chances in defending the Mersing parliamentary seat.
“This war of words is the initial seeds of how Umno will swallow Bersatu ahead of the next general election,” he said.
Sheikh Umar said the fact that we can learn from this episode of political betrayal was quite clear.
“History has also proven; every act of treachery will surely end with a series of subsequent treachery. A traitor will never be trusted by another traitor.
“This group will live in paranoia all the time. Little by little, they will surely be swallowed up by their own political sins,” said Sheikh Umar.
Earlier this week, Abdul Latiff drew the ire of his allies in Umno, after calling the latter’s Sabah chapter irrelevant during a live-stream last Tuesday.
Many in Umno have since criticised the minister for his remark, labelling it insulting and demanded for his resignation.
Abdul Latif had since apologised for his comment and claimed his quotes were taken out of context.
