Trapped in Dr M's narrative, Noh has developed selective principles - Puad Zarkashi

SHAH ALAM - Umno supreme council member Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi has lambasted former Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar as having ‘selective principles’ over the former Tanjung Karang member of Parliament's praise for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decisions to suspend Umno members who faced prosecution during his presidency of party.

"Was Dr Mahathir’s actions of joining hands with DAP to bring down Umno a principled act?" he questioned.

"Noh is trapped in Dr Mahathir's narrative. The purpose of Dr Mahathir's creation of the ‘Court Cluster’ through ‘selective prosecution’ was to destroy the politics of his adversaries," Puad said.

Puad further added that dozens of corruption charges against former Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi were laid up so that by killing off Najib and Zahid, Umno would be weakened.

"It turns out that Dr Mahathir failed. Zahid won the position of Umno president in the 2018 party elections. Now, Zahid has won the position of president uncontested. Umno is not even buried.

"It means members who make decisions are more understanding and clever than Noh. Those who have the right to decide who is the leader have principles. Noh needs to control his anger," he streessed.

Earlier, Noh commented that during Dr Mahathir’s administration, any leader who was charged in court was automatically suspended from membership, even though the action was not enshrined in the party's constitution.

"During his administration, any party leader who was charged was automatically suspended (membership) whether it was (Dr Mohamad) Khir Toyo or (Tan Sri Abdul) Rahim Thamby Chik.

"But today it has turned upside down. Those who have court cases continue to get positions and continue to win without contesting," he claimed on the "Bersama Tun M program: Dialog Sepentas Perjuangan Yang Hilang?" at the Mini Townhall, Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana (YKP) on Saturday.

The programme for the first time paired Noh with Dr Mahathir and the former Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

On Jan 27, the media reported that Noh was sacked from Umno after he disputed his six-year suspension as a member of the party.