KUALA LUMPUR: The allegation that a “Pakatan Sulit”, involving a few Pakatan Harapan MPs and Umno lawmakers, is seeking to convince Barisan Nasional MPs to jump ship is not true.
The meeting on this which purportedly took place at Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s official residence is nothing more than a rumour, says Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
Despite it being a rumour, two Barisan Nasional MPs from Umno will nevertheless still have to face the party’s diciplinary board on the matter.
Annuar said although the allegation originated from outside the party, the Umno diciplinary board committee still had a responsibility to get to the bottom of it.
“We cannot have any decision based on an allegation made from outside the party and it’s only fair that a thorough investigation is carried out before a decision is made.
“We have to give our fellow colleagues a chance to defend and clarify themselves”.
Annuar did not reveal who the two Umno lawmakers facing the disciplinary committee were.
He said once the disciplinary board had finalised its findings, it would be handed over to the Umno management committee to decide the next course of action.
As for the rest of the lawmakers who attended the meeting in Putrajaya, Annuar said he would not speculate as to what had transpired at the meeting.
“To the best of my knowledge, both on personal and professional levels, all Umno MPs are still very much loyal to the party.
“Even last night, the party president was with all 41 of the Umno MPs,” Annuar said after a media briefing on the upcoming Umno Annual General Meeting (AGM) activity line up.
The Umno AGM will be held between Dec 4 and 7 with the involvement of some 12,000 party rank and file converging at Putra World Trade Centre, where the AGM traditionally takes place.
Delegates from 191 Umno branches as well as local and international observers are expected to attend the four-day AGM.
When asked whether Pakatan Harapan MPs were invited to attend, Annuar said no but it could be considered.
He said during the Penyatuan Ummah gathering, Umno had invited PH but no one responded positively, so this time they were excluded.
“Being a responsible opposition, we have no problem in inviting the present government and politicians.
“However this needs to be further discussed with the Umno Management committee before it is finalised.
“After all we have to be friendly with them because we wouldn’t know when the tables will turn (for BN to rule again),” he quipped.
He said Friends of BN, Friends of Muafakat and Pas leaders had confirmed their attendance at the AGM.
Annuar said Umno also welcomes MPs, youth leaders, university students, members of non-governmental-organisation, and associations representing taxi drivers, fishermen and retirees as well as anyone interested in attending the meeting to contact the secretariat for passes.
“We want to be as transparent and as open as possible... And welcome non party members as well as party members to the AGM.”
Among other things, Annuar said, the AGM was likely to adopt several key amendments to the party constitution.