SUBANG JAYA, April 9 — Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said today Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s position as party president has become “increasingly untenable” after an audio clip purportedly of him conversing with rival Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was leaked.
The Rembau MP, who challenged Ahmad Zahid for the presidency right after the party’s defeat at the 14th general election, claimed the audio clip has caused disquiet among Umno grassroots, a majority of whom are already uncomfortable with rumours that Umno is keen on working with the Opposition.
“I think many people within the party are uncomfortable with the recorded conversation between the president and you know (Anwar),” he told reporters after speaking at an autism event here.
“I think Datuk Seri Zahid’s position is increasingly untenable as the president of the party.”
Ahmad Zahid is at the centre of a controversial audio recording that emerged on Facebook earlier this week.
The four-minute-long recording between two speakers featured voices resembling Zahid’s and his political foe and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The clip has since gone viral on other social media platforms.
Khairy has urged the party supreme council to meet at once over the matter.
He had previously called for party elections to be held immediately, citing the need to overhaul the leadership.
Ahmad Zahid is currently on trial for over 40 counts of corruption charges and criminal breach of trust.
Both Zahid and Anwar have denied the recording is of their voices, calling it fake and slanderous.
