MCA man reveals proposal to replace Zahid as BN chief

(FMT) – Last night’s Barisan Nasional (BN) meeting saw a proposal for Mohamad Hasan to replace Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as BN chairman, revealed MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon.

Commenting on viral photos of a letter Zahid sent to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, stating that all 30 BN MPs were backing Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister, Chong said the claims in the letter are “completely out of line” with the BN Supreme Council’s two meetings held yesterday.

“In both meetings, the BN Supreme Council had resolved that BN will not support anyone as the prime minister at this moment,” said Chong in a statement.

“MCA believes that Zahid is no longer fit to continue leading BN, and we call for his resignation from his position as BN chairman (and) to be replaced by (BN deputy chairman) Mohamad Hasan as proposed during the BN Supreme Council meeting last night.”

However, Chong did not reveal how the proposal was received by the BN Supreme Council members at the meeting.

Earlier, MIC president SA Vigneswaran told Malaysiakini that Zahid had “admitted” to sending the letter to the palace after 10 BN MPs withdrew their support for Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, and after BN decided to remain in the opposition.

Umno president Zahid has faced calls to resign following BN’s dismal performance in the general election, in which the former ruling coalition only won 30 seats. Pakatan Harapan secured 82 seats while Perikatan Nasional won 73.

Among those who have called for Zahid’s resignation are Umno leaders Khairy Jamaluddin, Shahril Hamdan, Noh Omar and Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Earlier today, Zahid denied claims that he had resigned as BN chief and Umno president after a picture of his purported resignation letter went viral.