UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi has called out Tan Sri Annuar Musa for allegedly taking his first step into PAS by “telling lies”.
The UMNO leader was referring to Annuar’s speech at a Perikatan Nasional (PN) rally in Negri Sembilan on Saturday (June 10) night where the former Ketereh MP said he will not return to the party that sacked him even if Zahid were to “beg” suspended or expelled party members to return to the fold.
“Zahid said no such things. What Zahid said was that the door is open to former UMNO members to attend the UMNO General Assembly. The party is also open to taking back members that have appealed their suspension or expulsion from the party,” Puad clarified.
In his wrap-up speech during the party’s general assembly last weekend, Zahid was reported as saying that UMNO’s disciplinary board would evaluate the appeals of these members before it is brought to the party’s supreme council to be finalised.
Zahid also said the supreme council is “very open” to the recommendations made by the disciplinary board on members who have appealed the disciplinary action taken against them.
“Annuar arrogantly said there is no reason to spend the rest of his wealth on UMNO. That’s good, but [Annuar should not] join PAS to increase his wealth,” Puad added sarcastically.
“It’s strange that Annuar sees PAS’ sincerity after going up against them eight times during the country’s general elections. He only sees PAS’ sincerity after he was expelled (from UMNO) and lost his position.”
In his speech during the rally, Annuar further claimed that UMNO is no longer the choice party for Malaysians since the 13th general election (GE13) and had caused divisions instead.
The former UMNO stalwart alleged that the Malay nationalist party is being controlled by its current president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He reportedly said he had been in UMNO for 50 years and that the party has now self-destructed, adding that UMNO has betrayed the interests of Malays and Muslims in the country.
Annuar, who was formerly the Barisan Nasional secretary-general, was expelled from UMNO last December for disciplinary reasons.
On Saturday, Bernama reported that Annuar had been accepted into PAS and accepted his membership certificate from the Islamist party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang. – June 12, 2023
