‘PARTY MAN’ AZMIN – BUT WHICH PARTY? UMNO, PKR OR BERSATU? – TRAITOROUS EX-MP ECHOES LATEST BOSS MUHYIDDIN – IN BID TO PAINT CORRUPTION CHARGES AGAINST BERSATU MEN AS ‘PLANNED’ ‘SELECTIVE PROSECUTION’
Azmin Ali is confident the government’s alleged attempt to cripple Perikatan Nasional ahead of the upcoming six state elections would not be successful.
The coalition’s information chief said the graft charges against Bersatu leaders won’t disrupt PN’s preparations for the polls or affect the people’s support.
Claiming that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government is afraid of PN’s support, he described the cases as “selective prosecution”.
“We are confident that in the upcoming state elections, the rakyat will give Pakatan Harapan and Umno another ‘signal’ that they have failed to keep their election promises,” he said.
Azmin also noted how Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had hinted about Bersatu leaders being hauled to court when the latter said there would be a “new court cluster”.
He was referring to Zahid’s speech at Umno’s annual meeting last month. Following this, Umno information chief Isham Jalil also told Bersatu to be prepared to face court charges.
In the past, Zahid, who is the current deputy prime minister, former premier Najib Abdul Razak and several other Umno leaders were referred to as the “court cluster” by their political rivals, including those from Harapan.
Zahid is still on trial for 47 corruption charges.
However, Harapan had joined hands with Umno-BN to form a coalition government after the last general election resulted in a political deadlock with PN emerging as one of the biggest winners.
Azmin was speaking to reporters at the Kuala Lumpur court complex. He was there to lend support to Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan and the party’s Segambut division deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad, who were slapped with separate charges of corruption this morning.
Commenting on the charges, PN chairperson and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said the prosecution was planned from the beginning.
On another matter, Azmin urged all quarters not to misconstrue his decision to take a break from active politics.
“I am a party man, I’m responsible to ensure my party wins in the coming election.
“Don’t misconstrue (my statement) as how long the break will be – whether a day, a week, or a month,” he said.
Azmin, who was defeated in his stronghold of Gombak in the national polls, announced his hiatus last week but vowed to continue serving the people and nation. MKINI
Azmin remains coy about possibility of contesting in state polls
KUALA LUMPUR: After indicating that he may be taking a momentary pause from his career, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has remained coy about the possibility of contesting in the upcoming Selangor state elections.
“You don’t interpret the short break as a day, a week or a month,” he told reporters in jest when met at the Kuala Lumpur court complex on Tuesday (Feb 21).
When pressed further on whether he would contest in the upcoming Selangor state polls, he said “when the state assembly is dissolved, the party will definitely look into the candidates.”
On whether he would offer to contest, Azmin said he would leave it to the party.
The former Gombak MP who was also the state assemblyman for Bukit Antrabangsa said in a tweet recently that he would be taking a break.
Azmin’s tweet on Feb 11 left many wondering if he was taking a break from politics.
“To all Malaysians. It is a momentary pause in my career for public service that warrants going back to the drawing board.
“Nevertheless, there remains no let-up in my resolve to serve the nation and the rakyat,” he tweeted.
The move also drew flak from his former party, PKR as its deputy chief deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin reminded the Bersatu supreme council member that he was still an elected representative with the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat and that he had a responsibility to fulfil towards his constituents.
Azmin lost the Gombak parliamentary seat after obtaining 59,538 votes, losing to his former protege Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Azmin was at the court complex to meet Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan who was slapped with two charges of corruption by the Sessions Court on Tuesday.
Echoing Bersatu chief Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Azmin said the charges against Wan Saiful were selective persecution.
He said he was confident that Perikatan Nasional would be able to win bigger support at the state elections due to such attacks.
“The statement by the Umno President a few months ago shows that there were plans to weaken Bersatu and Perikatan and of course, this is another proof of Pakatan and their new friend Umno’s fear given the strong support for Perikatan,” he said.
“Today I can see the efforts by our enemies to cover their weaknesses and their failure to manage the economy and cost of living effectively,” he said.
“Therefore, to cover their shortcomings they are attacking Perikatan.
“I am confident that the people are mature enough to see the actions of Umno and Pakatan for their inability to govern,” he added. ANN
MKINI / ANN
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