Kedah UMNO rejects Mukhriz leadership

The majority of Kedah UMNO leaders today expressed no-confidence in Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir as the menteri besar and chairman of the state UMNO liaison committee.

Kedah UMNO liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah announced this after a closed-door meeting with almost all UMNO assemblymen and MPs in the state.

Heads of the state UMNO Youth, Puteri and Wanita wings also attended the meeting.

The leaders who attended the meeting included Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and MP for Jerai Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom; Deputy Defence Minister and MP for Kubang Pasu Datuk Johari Baharom and Tabung Haji chairman and MP for Baling Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

Ahmad Bashah said Mukhriz had also failed to plan and prepare the party for the approaching next general election. - Astro AWANI photo

Reading out a two-page statement, Ahmad Bashah appealed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to act immediately to resolve what he described as a crisis.

"We ask the Prime Minister to immediately make changes in the state leadership for the sake of Kedah UMNO.

"We ask the Prime Minister to drop Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir as the Menteri Besar of Kedah because the people have lost confidence in his leadership," he said.

Ahmad Bashah said that since Mukhriz's appointment as the menteri besar, there had been many problems including the denial of support for the UMNO President and offering of views which confused the people in the state.

He said Mukhriz had also failed to plan and prepare the party for the approaching next general election.

"It is for these reasons that we see him lacking leadership and, as the Kedah Menteri Besar, he has failed to administer the state government.

"Therefore, we have gathered to appeal to the Prime Minister to change the Menteri Besar of Kedah and chairman of the Kedah UMNO Liaison Committee," he said.

Ahmad Bashah said the immediate action was necessary to safeguard the party and the people of the state.

"However, we will support any decision taken by the Prime Minister.

"As far as we are concerned, all the elected representatives present here this evening will give our undivided support to whoever is selected by the Prime Minister to replace Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir," he said.

Reporters who attended the press conference were disallowed from posing questions.

Meanwhile, Education Minister and Padang Terap MP Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid told Bernama the announcement by Ahmad Bashah had the consensus of all the state UMNO assemblymen and MPs.

"There is no personal agenda except for the desire to strengthen the state UMNO," he said.

He said he was also of the view that the Prime Minister should resolve the matter immediately for the good of the party.