Source: Zahid claims 'St Regis Move' aimed to topple him as BN chief

Source: Zahid claims 'St Regis Move' aimed to topple him as BN chief


Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that the planned meeting between BN MPs and Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin at the height of the political stalemate after the 15th general election was also a plot to topple him as BN chairperson, according to a source.

Dubbed the “St Regis Move”, it was claimed that the main agenda of the Nov 23 meeting was to secure the support of BN MPs for Muhyiddin to be prime minister.

The source told Malaysiakini that during a closed-door presidential briefing at the Umno general assembly this evening, Zahid said 10 Umno MPs inked a statutory declaration supporting Muhyiddin as prime minister.

The source also said Zahid told the briefing that when BN held a meeting during the political crisis, only 26 BN MPs turned up while four who had backed Muhyiddin did not attend, citing health reasons.

“The president informed us that there was a plan to remove him as BN chairperson during the supreme council meeting. Muhyiddin was waiting at the St Regis Hotel (in Kuala Lumpur) to get the support (of BN MPs) if the move against Zahid was successful.

“However, the plot was exposed when BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir received a call from PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan asking why (BN MPs) have not come (to the hotel).

“There was also a message to the MIC president that a meeting will be held at St Regis and Muhyiddin is waiting,” the source added.

Meanwhile, the source said Zahid also confirmed that he faced stiff opposition from BN component parties when deciding to join the unity government.

However, all matters appear to have been resolved.

The source also said that Zahid informed Umno delegates that the BN logo will still be used in the upcoming state elections.

"However, BN's participation must be together with strategic partner parties in the unity government," he said.