Quit decision by two UMNO veterans came as no surprise - Ismail Sabri

The quit decision of two UMNO veterans from the party on Saturday came as no surprise as they have personal ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said it was a known fact that former Kulai UMNO deputy division chief Datuk Tosrin Jarvanti in particular, was very close to Muhyiddin.

This was because Tosrin was Muhyiddin's special officer, he said.

"Their action will not weaken the party because I don't see it related to UMNO. I haven't heard of others (UMNO members quitting) although Mukhriz (Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir) has said there are division chiefs in Kedah who will resign.

"To me, I believe that's just their drama," he told reporters at the Bera parliamentary constituency 'Perdana Korban' programme at the Bera Mosque here yesterday.

On Saturday, Tosrin and former Gelang Patah UMNO permanent chairman Datuk Baharom Abdul Ghani announced their departure from UMNO, claiming they were no longer on the same wavelength with prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Ismail who is also Bera Member of Parliament said the claim by PPBM to attract more UMNO members also came as no surprise as it was the norm of a fragmented party to gain members from the original party, like what happened between Parti Amanah Negara and PAS.

He said such an action would only strengthen UMNO and solidarity among its members.

"We don't have to speculate about the influence of PPBM. There is no need to speculate because the most important thing is for us to strengthen the party.

"I don't think UMNO members will be influenced because PPBM does not have a clear organisational foundation. UMNO has one, so has PAS. But PPBM is formed out of personal reasons, anger and dissatisfaction," he said.

Commenting on the statement by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was now willing to cooperate with his former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to topple the present government, Ismail Sabri described it as possible.

He said Dr Mahathir is known as someone who is willing to do just anything for the sake of his political and personal interests, including sitting together with DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang whom he had called a racist.

"If he valued UMNO and its interests, he would have stayed with the party. Whatever internal problems we have, we will solve it internally and not by sitting together with those who want to bring us down all these while," he said.