KUALA LUMPUR: Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri today denied that there was any clandestine meeting involving senior Barisan Nasional and Pas leaders at a golf club in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
"It's untrue. There was no meeting involving 10 people. Look at the list of names, there were only five. These are all lies meant to tarnish my name.
"It seems that I can't even meet up with my friends now. When you meet with Pas people, you're regarded as a traitor. When you meet people from Pakatan Harapan, you're a hero. Everyone's gone crazy," he was quoted as saying in a news portal.
The news portal had claimed that the meeting involved 10 BN and Pas leaders.
Apart from Ismail Sabri, other leaders allegedly involved in the meeting included Umno Ketereh division chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, and former Putrajaya Umno deputy chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz.
Ismail Sabri said he was only attending a farewell event with his former staff from the Prime Minister's Department, and that there were allegations that he was with BN treasurer-general Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
Ismail Sabri said other leaders, including Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, had also been accused of making a move against Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"Umno leaders at this juncture are now warring among themselves and dividing Umno, just to support someone else to form the government and appoint a prime minister," he was quoted as saying.
Earlier today, social media was abuzz with the meeting at the Tropicana Golf Resort, with pictures of the leaders arriving at the club.
This led to social media users dubbing the event 'Langkah Tropicana', a nod to the infamous 'Langkah Sheraton' in 2020 which saw mass defections leading to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
Wee had earlier today dismissed the speculation and expressed disappointment over the rumours.
He admitted that he was at the golf resort during the time of the alleged meeting, but said it was for a brunch appointment with two businessmen.
"We were at the Chinese restaurant there while Ismail was at the other restaurant. You can check the restaurant's CCTV footage," he told FMT.