UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been given seven days by a faction loyal to former president Najib Razak to teach Bersatu a lesson for ridiculing and bullying the Malay nationalist party on several recent issues.

Furthermore, the faction warned Zahid that if he did not act against Bersatu, which is led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, then a move will be made to replace the Umno president.

The threat came from Lokman Noor Adam, a Najib loyalist, who wanted Zahid to pull Umno out of Perikatan Nasional.

Taking to Facebook today, Lokman said BN MPs must make a stand.

“Seven days from today, BN MPs must take a stand. They must not wait any longer.

“The other day, the strategy was to support Anwar Ibrahim but the king was not able to meet Anwar because he was in hospital.

“Therefore, we cannot do anything, the king is unwell so we have to wait.

“Yet, BN MPs have an exit. In October, there will be a parliamentary sitting and this is the time for us not to support the budget tabled by Muhyiddin.

“This is the time we leave PN. It is clear today that Muhyiddin bullied Umno,” Lokman said in his post.

Last week, Zahid said that he would not stop any Umno members from backing Anwar as the next prime minister if they wished to do so, after the opposition leader announced that he had a parliamentary majority and intended to form a new government.

However, several Umno lawmakers said they were not deserting Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional.

Meanwhile, Anwar is still waiting for an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

Lokman’s anger today was targeted at the decision not to appoint Sabah BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin as chief minister, saying it was an insult to Umno as the party had more seats in the assembly than Bersatu.

Earlier today, Bersatu Sabah leader Hajiji Noor was sworn in as the chief minister, even though the party won only 11 seats compared to Umno’s 14 in the recent state polls.

Lokman said, even before nomination day, Umno and Barisan Nasional had been bullied over seat negotiations.

He said BN could not win big as the coalition did not contest in all seats.

“A small party dictated to a bigger party. For how long we will allow these kids to play us around. Enough is enough.

“If Zahid is brave enough to make a stand, we will support him,” Lokman said, adding that no Umno member will allow the party to be used and bullied by Muhyiddin.

Bung, who was sworn in as deputy chief minister earlier today, reportedly had a flare-up with Hajiji over his portfolio, according to sources.

These sources said, as part of the deal to secure Umno support, Perikatan Nasional had offered to make Bung one of the deputy chief ministers and appoint him state works minister.

“Three Umno assemblymen were also to be inducted into the (state) cabinet with one of them made a senior minister in exchange for the party’s support,” said the source.

However, Hajiji appeared to renege on the deal and appointed Bung to the Housing and Local Government Ministry instead.

“Due to this, Bung apparently blew his top, which was resolved after Muhyiddin intervened. Hajiji then U-turned and made Bung works minister,” said another source. – September 29, 2020.