KUALA LUMPUR: Questions on Umno’s stand regarding the Perikatan Nasional government and ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia are expected to be the main focus of the Umno Supreme Council meeting tonight.
The meeting, scheduled for 8.30pm at Menara Dato Onn, will be chaired by president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and will follow Umno’s political bureau meeting that will be held at the same venue at 3pm, where all state chiefs are expected to be present.
The meeting is also expected to touch on motions by the grassroots, following a closed-door dialogue between Zahid and Umno division heads at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.
The main things expected to be given attention include talk that Umno will pull out of the government led by Bersatu by asking its members of parliament to withdraw their support for the PN government.
Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan in a statement last night had confirmed that the supreme council would discuss all possibilities at the meeting.
He was quoted as saying that the council would also discuss and consider each and every angle before stating Umno’s official stand on members’ sentiments calling for rejection of cooperation with Bersatu.
“As announced by the Umno secretary-general, more than 140 of the party’s divisions out of 191 have moved motions calling for rejection of cooperation with Bersatu.”
Last month, conflict between the two parties broke out in the open as Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu resigned as Perak menteri besar, with Perak Umno chief Datuk Saarani Mohamad taking over the post.
Yesterday, Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who is also federal territories minister, was sacked as Barisan Nasional secretary-general and Umno’s representative in the Muafakat Nasional secretariat and was replaced by Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
BN is led by Umno with the other component parties being MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) while MN is a partnership between Umno and Pas, which is also part of the PN government. – BERNAMA