Muhammad Muhamad Taib back with Umno

0

Najib (third left) shakes hands with Muhammad during the press conference. — Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday announced that former Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib has returned to the Umno fold.

The latest development in the Barisan Nasional main party was announced personally by the prime minister and Umno president at a special press conference at Umno headquarters, here yesterday.

“Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib is aware that the struggles of the opposition parties particularly the PKR was in vain,” said Najib who explained that Muhammad also pledged to work together to ensure Umno’s success.

The prime minister said he was confident Muhammad’s return would further strengthen Umno. Najib said the former Selangor Menteri Besar had pledged to join in the struggle to ensure victory for Umno and the Barisan Nasional in the coming general election. Asked whether Muhammad would be given any party post especially in Selangor, Najib said this would be discussed later.

“He returned (to Umno) with sincerity without any demand for position from us. His intention is sincere and purely for the party’s struggles,” he said.

Muhammad left Umno and joined PAS in April 2013 before joining PKR in September 2015. On the possibility of other opposition leaders interested in joining Umno, Najib said “that we will have to wait first”.

He said the opposition, particularly Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), is as though it had been hit by a storm with several key leaders of the party announcing their withdrawal from the party.

Yesterday, PPBM vice-president Datuk Hamidah Osman and Anina Saadudin who was also among the founders of PPBM announced their withdrawal from the party. — Bernama