TASEK GELUGOR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today reiterated that it was wrong for irresponsible quarters to pit him against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Stressing that he is not one who forgets contributions of those who helped him in his political rise, Zahid said he was thankful and grateful to Najib who had been with him throughout.
"So for anyone to pit me against the prime minister, it is a very wrong thing to do. There is no need to doubt my loyalty," he said when opening the Umno Tasek Gelugor division meeting here today.
Towards this end, Zahid said every leader would have an era of their own to serve the people.
"Before this, it was former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's era. Now, it is (Datuk Seri) Najib's era.
"But never before has Abdullah spoken ill of the current government. This is he kind of leader we want.
"While we remember his (Abdullah's) contributions, we also respect him for loving the present crop of leader and allowing the leader to run the country," he added.
In this respect, Zahid said, the people must allow Najib to run the country in his own way.
In his speech Zahid also made a rallying call to the Penang Barisan Nasional coalition to wrest the state from Pakatan Harapan in the 14th general election.
Urging BN component parties to come out of their comfort zone, Zahid said the time was ripe for BN to lead Penang after the state government failed to address many issues affecting the people.
"We have been repeatedly tested (in the past nine years). Enough is enough. There is a limit to our patience. It is time for Penang BN to come out of its comfort zone.
"It is also time for us to rise to the occasion and show what the Penang BN DNA is really made of," he said when opening the Umno Tasek Gelugor division meeting here today.
Zahid said the state BN should also work together with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which are beginning to express their dissatisfaction at the state government.
"The fact that there is a trust deficit among the people of the existing administration. We have no choice but to wrestle Penang back from the current administration," he said to loud cheer's from the floor.
Also present were the state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow, state Umno chief Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman and Umno Tasek Gelugor division chief Datuk Shabudin Yahaya.