Zahid warns Umno ‘parasites’ against peddling support for ally Bersatu

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told delegates at the party’s annual assembly today that there are “parasites” within the party that were killing it from within.

Calling them by the Malay sobriquet apek lempang (parasites), he said these were members that were peddling support for Bersatu despite the Umno supreme council’s decision to sever ties at the next general election.

“Even yesterday, these apek lempang and their cronies were roaming the halls trying to destroy the party by trying to reverse the decision made by the party,” he told a large audience at the 75th Umno annual general assembly this morning.

The audience at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, formerly known as the Putra World Trade Centre roared back its support.

Zahid issued a warning that the party leadership would take stern action against those who worked against the February 19 supreme council decision to cut ties with Bersatu.

While Umno is currently working with Bersatu, formed by a splinter faction, the former party is not formally a component of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition led by the latter.

Zahid also stressed that politics is determined by Malaysians and not power-hungry brokers.

“Open up our mindset and look more forward in the name of our present and future generations. Bear in mind that politics is determined by the people, not by the power hungry, broker, opportunist and frog clusters,” he said.

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had similarly spoken about enemies within the party in his address in the wing assemblies yesterday, and said such people should be dropped from the party indefinitely.

In his speech yesterday, Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said “hypocrites” must not be given any spotlight or the chance to represent the party.

Party secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan told reporters last night that the supreme council has decided to suspend one party member for the next six years with immediate effect.

While he refused to name the member, Utusan Malaysia and Sinar Harian both reported Umno election director Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman identifying the person as the party’s Putrajaya division deputy chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz.