Zahid: I'm merely the loyal deputy

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today asserted to a group of international delegates that he does not hold the number 1 administrative position in Malaysia.
Ahmad Zahid was explaining the proposed plan to set up a world sufism centre in Malaysia during his speech at the International Ulama Conference, when one of the delegates interrupted by shouting "Thank you sir prime minister!".
He spontaneously quipped that he was not the man mentioned in the position, but reaffirmed his loyalty to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
"I am not the prime minister, yet. I am only the deputy. I am assisting him (Najib), I am very loyal to him and I am going to make sure that the moderation that he is promoting will be translated into our system," he said.
"I am assisting him and I promise that I will continuously assist him as deputy," he said in his speech at the conference's closing ceremony at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid called for followers of sunni and shia, the two largest but conflicting sects in Islam, to learn to cooperate in order to correct the negative perceptions that people have of the religion.
He said such cooperation was pertinent to promote universal peace among the followers of Islam, instead of having disputes between the different sects.

"Whether we are sunni or shia, we have to cooperate to uphold the religion from being ridiculed by others," he said.
Ahmad Zahid also urged for all Muslims to stop any attempts made by Israel to move its capital to Jerusalem, which is also claimed by Palestine.
In denouncing the atrocities of Israel against Palestinians, Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia would continue to stand behind the struggle of the people of Palestine.
"We must recognise an independent state of Palestine. Let the Palestinians decide their direction under a government they have elected," he said.