TWO Umno Youth divisions in Selangor have called for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down as party chief after an attempt by its leadership to forge a unity government with PKR and DAP came to light.

The Ampang Umno Youth division resolved in its meeting that Zahid had to resign, and gave him until the end of the year to quit.  

“We hope that the president will put the party’s interests first and resign. We should have a new president and direction in the new year.

“Ampang Umno Youth will continue pushing until the president steps down, to uphold Umno’s dignity for Islam and Malays,” said its chief, Zulkifli Rajalie, in a statement today.  

Zulkifli said Umno Youth had given Zahid its trust to be acting president, and the mandate to be president where he automatically became the Barisan Nasional chairman.  

“But in six months, we have lost Sarawak, half of Sabah, and will lose more members of parliament from Umno. Zahid has lost his influence and failed to lead the party,” he said.  

Kota Raja Umno Youth had urged in its recent meeting for the immediate formation of a presidential advisory council, because Zahid had failed to control the party’s leadership and MPs had left the party.  

“The Kota Raja leadership decided to urge the president to form the presidential advisory council immediately so that those appointed can convene as soon as possible,” it said.  

According to the movement’s statement, BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz’s request for division chiefs and committee members to support the cooperation with “Anwar’s team” have caused more members and leaders to leave Umno.

“The BN secretary-general, who was appointed by the president, failed to do anything in Sabah, which showed that Zahid no longer has the credibility to lead Umno and BN,” he said.  

Umno Youth Malaysia exco Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris urged Zahid to step down honorably to avoid further splits in the party.  

“Not everyone will be in agreement if there is a special meeting at the branch and division level. The party will split more. To avoid this, the president should take his responsibility and step down,” he said.  

Azri said Zahid had not met with the grassroots members ever since he became Umno president and had instead only made his presidential tours to explain the 45 charges against him.  

Azri also said Zahid did not act when Umno MPs were being “bought” by other parties and even allowed them to leave the party.  

“If the president cannot even control MPs, how is he going to control the division chiefs? They would be more difficult to control.

“We remember that in 2008, Anwar wanted to kidnap BN MPs. Although we were the government and we had the strength, the effort was made. Najib tried to surround BN MPs so they would not jump to Anwar and it worked.  

“Although we are the opposition today, if the president truly engages with the members of parliament, they would not leave in a group,” said Azri, who is also known as Papa Gomo. – December 15, 2018.