Umno not shaken by movement to topple Najib, says Zahid

Umno will not be shaken by any move to topple the prime minister, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The Umno vice president who had assumed the duties of the party's suspended deputy president, said that every Malaysian prime minister has faced a situation where there was a movement against them. "Every prime minister has faced such a movement, so this is not something to worry  about," he told reporters in relation to the core group planned by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to remove Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He also said that a strong organisation would not fear disturbances, and that Umno's strong unity would help the party deal with any challenges. Dr Mahathir had said he agreed with opposition parties PKR, Parti Amanah Negara and DAP on the need to remove Datuk Seri Najib Razak as prime minister, and would set up a core group to achieve this objective. The former prime minister, who has quit Umno in protest against Najib, said he had no plans to set up a new political party, but would look at starting a group. "It has not yet been formed, (I hope) a core group can show their commitment by signing a declaration. "We agree on one thing, that is to get rid of Najib," referring to opposition parties.  Zahid today said that the latest expose by Wall Street Journal that Najib received more than US$1 billion in his personal accounts was an agenda by international media outlets to discredit the prime minister. When asked if the government would sue the US business newspaper, Zahid said that it would be left to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Ministry of Communication and Multimedia to take action. Zahid also advised Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin not to make any hasty decisions about leaving the party, given that in the past, he declared himself as a loyal member of the ruling party. "I hope he thinks of the party when he makes a decision for his future, and not based on his emotions now," he said. Muhyiddin was suspended from his post by the Supreme Council on Friday until the next party elections, but remains a party member. – March 2, 2016.]]>