IPOH: Perak Umno is fully backing Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as party president, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar said a party liaison meeting on Tuesday (Aug 15) reached a unanimous consensus to support the Deputy Prime Minister.
"Our argument was, for many years, DAP also lost many times in the past, but no one called for Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang to resign.
"And for decades, PAS also lost many times, no one called for Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang to step down," he said in a press conference after Meet the Customer Day at Stadium Indera Mulia here on Wednesday (Aug 16).
Saarani, who is also state Umno chairman, was responding to calls for the Bagan Datuk MP to step down as party chief to take responsibility following its disastrous showing at the recently-concluded polls in six states on Saturday (Aug 12).
Saarani also said he understood that 18 Perikatan Nasional candidates who stood in the state elections lost their deposits.
"Umno (candidates) did not lose theirs.
"But no one called for the Perikatan chairman to step down," he said.
He also said there were also no guarantees that PAS would support Umno or if Bersatu would deregister itself and have its members rejoin Umno if Ahmad Zahid resigned.
"We will not dance to their tune.
"My advice to Umno members is to ignore the outsiders," he said, adding that those who insisted Ahmad Zahid step down were not from Umno, like former secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa and former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin.
"Those who have left Umno, just focus on your own party.
"Do not disturb Umno.
"It is weird that they still comment about us. Do they still miss us?" he added.
