The Puchong Umno division has decided to sever political cooperation with its Pakatan Harapan counterpart after DAP MP Yeo Bee Yin refused to apologise for her remarks on former prime minister Najib Razak’s failed bid for house arrest.
The division had given Yeo, the Puchong MP, a 24-hour deadline ending at 4pm on Christmas Eve to issue an apology, which did not materialise.
Division secretary Yusof Yassin said the decision meant there would be no further cooperation between Umno or Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan within the Puchong parliamentary constituency, as well as the Seri Serdang and Seri Kembangan state constituencies.
He said Puchong Umno would operate independently at both parliamentary and state levels, adding that support for any PH candidate in by-elections or general elections would be conditional or possibly not extended at all.
Yusof said the division would no longer hold joint meetings, coordinate political activities, community programmes or campaigns, nor collaborate on electoral strategies, planning or operations with Puchong PH.
He added that the division would no longer be responsible for safeguarding Puchong PH’s political interests and would be free to take its own position on local issues.
Yusof said the move was a protest to defend the party’s principles and dignity, and would not affect national-level cooperation unless otherwise directed by Umno or BN’s central leadership.
