We will hear out what Zahid says tomorrow, say party division chiefs

SHAH ALAM - Two Umno division chiefs say they will attend the party's pow wow meeting tomorrow "to listen to what the president has to say" while the other says the meeting should be held to use division chiefs for personal gain.

This comes as speculation grows over certain Umno groups may urge the prime minister to dissolve the Parliament immediately.

Umno Permatang Pauh division chief Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said said the objective and the goals of the "mega" meeting is to restore the dignity of the party after former Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sentenced to 12-year prison earlier this week.

He said the gathering should "not be owned by any individual for any purpose".

“If there is a hidden purpose to use the division's leadership line, it is very unhealthy.

“I am confident that the leadership of the party will not do things that are not good for the party because of differences in views or actions,” Zaidi told Sinar Daily.

He added that the party needs to be perceived as "strong" and motivated despite going through many obstacles.

“I am sure that factions or groups that want to see Umno fight or split will be disappointed after tomorrow's ceremony ends,” he said.

He added that this is the reason why Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob remains calm and continues to work as usual.

Meanwhile, Umno Sabak Bernam division chief Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri said the party’s council had no information on the content of Umno meeting tomorrow so he would not know what to expect.

“We are just going to see and listen to what the president has to say,” he told Sinar Daily.

He also added that he would just follow any decisions by the party's political bureau and motions proposed by Umno Supreme Working Council (MKT).

He said this is because they need to follow the party hierarchy.

Najib recently became the country’s first former prime minister to be jailed for a criminal offence after the Federal Court here upheld his conviction, 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine today.

Najib still has four other legal cases involving the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds, abusing his power to amend the 1MDB audit report, criminal breach of trust amounting to RM6.6 billion in relation to payments to International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and illegal money laundering involving SRC International funds worth RM27 million.