Inside deal with Save Malaysia movement? Lies, Umno minister says

(Malay Mail Online) – Umno supreme council members will never work with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Save Malaysia movement to oust Datuk Seri Najib Razak as they are firmly behind the prime minister, a party leader said today.

Culture and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz also rubbished claims made by Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan that many within the party’s supreme council privately did not support Najib, calling them blatant lies.

“Blatant lies. You can’t back your claims with proof now, can you? Who is Khairuddin? The supreme council does not even know who he is. Ridiculous; he is way off target,” Nazri told Malay Mail Online.

“No discussions with Umno leaders. If Khairuddin wants to remove PM legitimately, wait for the next general election,” he added.

Nazri, who is an Umno supreme council member, said there was no reason for the council to work with the likes of party dissenters Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir to achieve Save Malaysia’s goal.

He pointed out that the some within the supreme council had wanted to sack Muhyiddin rather than only suspending him as deputy president, making the latest claim more implausible.

The Padang Rengas MP said that there will not be an Umno supreme council meeting later today, but he will now seek the expulsion of both Muhyiddin and Mukhriz.

“As sure as the sun rises in the east, you can be sure that I will push for Muhyiddin and Mukhriz to be sacked from Umno.”

Malay Mail Online reported yesterday that the Save Malaysia movement led by Dr Mahathir is now pinning its hopes on winning the support of a dozen key Umno leaders in its campaign to oust PM Najib instead of pushing forward a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

A member of the group, Khairuddin, claimed that “many” in the Umno supreme council ― the powerful decision-making body in the Malay ruling party ― privately do not back Najib as their party president or prime minister.

Another inside source from the Save Malaysia movement, which comprises Barisan Nasional veterans, opposition leaders and human rights activists, said the group has identified some 12 influential Umno leaders for support, including members of the party’s supreme council, veterans, and those from Johor and Sabah.

A third insider within the Save Malaysia movement said it was Dr Mahathir who had suggested the method of getting Umno leaders to oust the prime minister.