PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional leaders have reached out to the leaders who were suspended and sacked by Umno on Friday (Jan 27) to tell them that they are not alone.
Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, a former Umno top gun who himself was sacked from Umno recently called Umno “a mad party which is eagerly sacking everyone”.
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"Those who were sacked, stay patient. We will defend you. Long live Perikatan,” Shahidan posted on his Facebook early this morning (Jan 28) after the announcement was made.
Shahidan was dropped as a Barisan Nasional candidate for the last general election, prompting him to seek Perikatan's seat. He was then sacked along with a few other party leaders who went rogue last November.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu also told those who were sacked that they were now free.
“Dear brothers, your wings are no longer clipped. Now, you can soar even higher. May God bless your holy struggle,” tweeted Ahmad Faizal, the former Tambun MP.
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Meanwhile, former Ketereh Umno division head and former Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pic) posted a lengthy note on his Facebook, stating that the suspension and sacking were done to silence those who spoke the truth.
“Be calm and patient. Sacking those who did not agree with your views is the easiest way to stay in power. Truth has a high price... and remember that even though these people are in power, there is a higher power.
“If there is a wrong leadership and the goals have been cast aside, the struggle is astray. When that happens, there is no need to be sad if you are no more there (in the struggle). There must be a blessing in disguise,” said Annuar, who himself was sacked after the last general election, together with Shahidan.
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Annuar further stated that the people gave Umno the signs but the leaders were “in denial”, referring to the fact Umno gained the least number of seats in the party's history in the last election.
“The cleansing that they are doing will only produce more dirt as the dirt is still stuck within the party, even though the party is being destroyed.
“They created lies and finally, they believed in their own lies. Let Umno be their own personal armour, we continue our struggle in our own way,” said Annuar.
On Friday, the Umno supreme council sacked former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and supreme council member Tan Sri Noh Omar.
Others punished included former vice-president and Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who was suspended for six years.
Former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, former Youth exco member Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Johor state exco member and Tebrau Umno division chief Datuk Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Mohd Shariff were also suspended for six years.