Umno leaders have crossed over, says Dr Mahathir

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said Umno leaders have crossed over and are now committed to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's leadership. He said he didn't expect trouble in Umno after former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was dropped from the Cabinet, although he is still Umno deputy president, as all Umno leaders were committed to Najib. "It looks to me. I don't know what is in their heart because some of them came to see me (before this) complaining about this and that but now they don't see me anymore, because they have crossed over," he said after launching former information minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin's book "Mahathir Bukan Kawan Saya" (Mahathir is not my friend) in Putrajaya. He said Umno leaders no longer questioned anyone as their commitment was due to certain factors. "I don't think (there will be trouble in Umno)... because they are all very committed because of certain factors, they don't question anyone," he said adding they were behaving like the phrase 'My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.' When asked to comment on Umno divisions that have cancelled their invitations to Muhyiddin, he said they all had to cancel the invitation as they had to follow directives and not create chaos. Muhyiddin was to officiate Raub Umno's annual meeting on August 15, but the division cancelled the officiating ceremony following Tuesday's Cabinet reshuffle. Umno divisions in Batu Gajah and Ipoh Barat had also cancelled their invitations to former rural and regional minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who was also dropped in the Cabinet reshuffle. However, three Umno divisions are going ahead with invitations to Muhyididn and Shafie to officiate annual meetings. Umno divisions of Kluang, Hulu Selangor and Kemaman are sticking by their decision to invite Muhyiddin and Shafie to attend their assemblies, and said they were ready to face any repercussions from it. After Muhyiddin's sacking, three Umno wing leaders in Johor quit their posts as a sign of protest as talks grow that more leaders are set to do the same in the coming days in the state. The party's Supreme Council meeting scheduled for Friday was also cancelled. – August 1, 2015.