DEFIANT UMNO supreme council member Datuk Isham Jalil is adamant with his stand to protest against the party forging an alliance with its once arch-rival DAP to the extent of ignoring the plead of party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for him to attend a meeting tonight (Dec 6).
Even as Zahid has appealed for his presence openly via media statement after having been absent thrice previously, Isham said he would stay away from meetings chaired by the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.
“This is my second term in the Supreme Council and I can already read what he will do in the meeting,” penned the former UMNO information chief on his Facebook page. “Why must I follow his will and show up at his power base? If he is sincere, maybe the president can fulfill his challenge to debate with me in a neutral arena. That if he dares.”
Added Isham: “I hope the president (Zahid) realises this instead of remaining in a denial that more and more Malays are now rejecting UMNO because of his decision to go to the polls with DAP after GE15.”
In the meantime, Zahid has expressed hope that Isham would show up at UMNO’s meeting tonight so that he (Isham) could convey what is in his mind to the party’s supreme council.
“Hopefully, he has the courage to come tonight to voice his contradictory opinion following the party’s decision to cooperate with PH (Pakatan Harapan) for the formation of a unity government,” he said.
Zahid who is also the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was commenting on Isham’s statement which attributed BN’s defeat in the Dec 2 Kemaman parliamentary by-election to UMNO leaders who overzealously defend DAP.
“If this situation continues, UMNO will be destroyed in a few years due to its decision. UMNO is a sacred party that has fought for the Malays in Malaysia all this time,” lamented Isham who lost to PH’s Azli Yusoff in the contest for the Shah Alam parliamentary seat during the 15th General Election (GE15) last year.
“Don’t because of self-interest, the entire party gets destroyed. If you resign, I will follow suit. Together we shall make sacrifices so long as this sacred party can be saved while there is time left.” – Dec 6, 2023
Main pic credit: Agenda Daily
