Muda crossed ‘red line’ by going solo in state polls, says Umno leader

Muda crossed the “red line” by contesting the state elections solo, unofficially removing itself from the unity government, says Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi.

(FMT) – Calling the party’s bluff, Puad said Muda did not need to warn that it would drop its support for the unity government.

“Just withdraw your support if Muda is brave enough,” Puad said in a Facebook post.

This comes after Muda secretary-general Amir Hadi said on Tuesday that the party might reconsider its position in the unity government following Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) given by the High Court in his corruption case on Monday.

Amir had claimed “the biggest red line (had been) crossed” with the DNAA decision.

Puad asked Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to vacate his Muar seat instead of threatening to break the unity government’s two-thirds majority in Parliament.

“Could the Muar (parliamentary seat) and Puteri Wangsa (Muda’s seat in the Johor state assembly) seats been won without Pakatan Harapan’s support?

“Of course, they would not dare (to leave). They can only threaten,” Puad said.

The DNAA granted to Zahid by the High Court has been strongly criticised by various parties, including civil society groups and activists.

Zahid was accused of embezzling millions of ringgit from his own charitable foundation, Yayasan Akalbudi, and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister between 2013 and 2018.