PETALING JAYA: Umno celebrates differences in opinion, but its leaders shouldn’t go overboard in their criticisms that could undermine the party, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“We take into account differences in views, but don’t criticise the party from within and destroy it,” said the Umno president.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said he was aware of internal attempts to weaken the party.
“Since 2018, we have seen many internal characters in action.
“Therefore, the Umno leadership has some measures, such as party training events, to carry out courses to foster the spirit of working as a team,” he said when met at the launch of the MyNext event at Stadium Bukit Jalil yesterday.
He said he also wanted more youth to continue contributing to Umno.
“We are also opening up our online membership application programme and we have no issues accepting young leaders who bring their new DNA to the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said Isham Jalil will be officially informed of his status in Umno soon.
“He will receive a letter at the soonest possible time,” said the Bagan Datuk MP, who did not deny speculation that the supreme council member had been axed from the party.
Isham said on Thursday that he was yet to be officially informed of his sacking from Umno.
Several Umno supreme council members who attended a meeting on Wednesday night had confirmed that Isham was fired from the council and the party with immediate effect.
The move comes after Isham stepped up his criticisms against Umno for its decision to work with DAP following the former’s crushing defeat in the recent Kemaman parliamentary by-election in Terengganu.
Ahmad Zahid later said Isham should attend the Umno supreme council meeting and express his views there, but the latter was a no-show.
The Umno supreme council meeting was held following its loss in the by-election on Dec 2, which saw Perikatan Nasional winning with a 37,220-vote majority.
