Kedah UMNO wings advise against statement by Mukhriz on April 24

Kedah UMNO Youth chief, Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin said the request was made by the Kedah UMNO Youth, Wanita UMNO and Puteri UMNO to Mukhriz at a meeting today.

He said the wings did not want the menteri besar to be put in a difficult position as he is a son of former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had been critical of Najib.

"We want him (Mukhriz) to give 100 percent attention to efforts to strengthen the party and administer the state. We fear that the April 24 statement (by Mukhriz) would be manipulated by irresponsible people," he told a news conference at the Kedah UMNO building.

Shaiful Hazizy said the three Kedah UMNO wings supported the leadership of Mukhriz, who is the chairman of the Kedah UMNO Liaison Committee, as well as Najib's, the UMNO president.

Also present at the news conference were Kedah Wanita UMNO head Datuk Maznah Hamid and Kedah Puteri UMNO head Nurhazimah Mat Nawab.

Shaiful Hazizy said it was too long a period between now and April 24 and it was feared that irresponsible people could take advantage of the situation.

On the statement by Bukit Lada state assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Lebai Sudin calling on Mukhriz to step down as the MB if he did not support Najib, Shaiful Hazizy said they were unaffected by the statement.

"Kedah UMNO is united and intact, and is not undermined by the statement by the Bukit Lada assemblyman. His statement is of a personal nature and we do not know the motive," he said.

He described the comments and criticism against the MB as nothing more than mischief by those in the 'political twilight' seeking a revival.

"We warn them not to try anything. The (Kedah UMNO) wings will defend Mukhriz at all cost. There is no problem in his relationship with the prime minister; it is intact and good. He is giving his cooperation to the party president in realising the party mission and endeavours," he said.

Asked whether speculation would get intense if Mukhriz did not make a statement on April 24, Shaiful Hazizy said it would not because Kedah UMNO had a good relationship with Najib.

He also said the three Kedah UMNO wings had held a meeting with the prime minister last week.

Maznah, meanwhile, said the political upheaval was not as serious as it was made out to be by outsiders and that the situation in Kedah UMNO was normal.