DAP says willing to work with Johor Umno if national ties cut

(Malay Mail Online) – Johor DAP will work with its counterparts in Johor Umno if the ruling party’s state chapter is willing to sever ties with its national leadership, Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong said.

The state DAP chairman said if Johor Umno is prepared to cooperate with its political foes to build a fairer Malaysia and a government that looks beyond racial divisions, his party would be happy to discuss a future with them.

“We can see now that Johor Umno is distinctively different from federal, if there’s any room for cooperation that would be principled, our cooperation with Johor Umno would be principled, not based on just expediency,” he told a press conference at the Penang DAP headquarters here.

He also said that this cooperation would be contingent upon Johor Umno’s preparedness to urge for a full investigation on its president and prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“We will discuss further on a cooperation and we are prepared to work with them,” he said.

There has been talks of discontent amongst Umno Johor members over the removal of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as deputy prime minister.

Yesterday, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein reportedly said party members in the southern state were visibly dissatisfied with the prime minister although they remained supportive of Umno.

He said despite the unhappiness, Johor Umno firmly remains behind Najib.