Najib’s future returns to haunt Anwar govt, and Zahid, as questions abound over ‘royal addendum’
Umno leaders want answers to why the party chief did not report the Agong’s demand earlier.
(MalaysiaNow) – Najib Razak’s future in prison is again threatening to break the cooperation between Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH), this time over an additional demand by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong that the ex-prime minister be allowed to serve the rest of his jail time under house arrest.
MalaysiaNow has learnt from Umno circles that pressure is also mounting on party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who recently submitted an affidavit supporting Najib’s judicial review on the matter.
Many senior leaders are likewise beginning to feel the pressure from grassroots who are unhappy with Umno’s alliance with PH.
An Umno leader in Perak told MalaysiaNow that party leaders were particularly upset that Zahid had remained silent on the matter despite claiming to have earlier knowledge of the addendum.
“Why was he silent for more than two months on this big request which he claims was actually shown to him?” said the Umno man who asked to remain anonymous.
It is a view shared by many others, including former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil, a Najib loyalist who has emerged as the coalition government’s fiercest critic in recent months.
“It was only when Najib filed the case and the issue of the addition came to public attention that they pushed to file an affidavit to avoid the heat from the grassroots.
“Zahid should have come out openly on this matter two months ago, not now after it goes to court where you can be summoned,” he said in a recent post.
