UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi lied to party members about his relationship with Anwar Ibrahim, said Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz.

“During the Umno general assembly, Zahid said he only met Anwar for chats and luncheons but this is very misleading,” said the Putrajaya Umno division deputy chief on Insight Talk.

Tun Faisal, who has been suspended for six years for slandering Zahid, said the party president did not explain to the delegates at the AGM about his letter.

“I’m told that there was such an alleged letter signed by Zahid, noting his support for Anwar, and that the purpose of the letter was for Anwar to show to the king that he had support and that the government had fallen.

“How could Zahid give this letter when the party had decided at that point not to work with DAP or Anwar but with Bersatu and to support the Perikatan Nasional government?

“I cannot accept that the president has done such a thing because it is against the party decision. How can this be done without the knowledge of the Supreme Council and party members?

Tun Faisal was referring to a letter Zahid allegedly gave to Anwar last September that indicated Umno support for the PKR president.

The letter was for Anwar to show to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that he had the parliamentary support to replace Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

The Umno leadership has denied knowledge of the letter.

One week before the alleged letter was leaked, Anwar had announced that he had “sufficient” numbers to oust the government.

Zahid, said Tun Faisal, should have explained his relationship with Anwar and the letter.

“We are supposed to make important decisions during the AGM but when lies are told, it is an unacceptable transgression and the members have to know,” said the former Special Affairs Department director.

Tun Faisal also expressed shock over his six-year suspension from the party.

The press officer to Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa said the disciplinary board claimed the party leaders could have overlooked his explanation.

“If they really did go through the facts and the merit of my case, I wouldn’t be facing any action, what more a six-year suspension,” he said.

He said that the disciplinary process was flawed and “open to manipulation” as the both complainant and the so-called victim were involved in the decision to suspend him.

He said the complainant was Putrajaya division chief Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor while the “slandered” party was Zahid.

“Both sit on the Supreme Council which decided on the suspension,” said Tun Faisal.

Tun Faisal and Annuar have slammed the president over attempts to ditch the Bersatu partnership in favour of a link-up with PKR and DAP. – April 8, 2021.