KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan explained today that a viral photograph of several senior Umno leaders with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is an old picture.
“It is an old photograph; I will not switch parties,“ he said when commenting on the photograph which showed him, Tan Sri Noh Omar, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin with Dr Mahathir.
Mohamad said in a statement that the photograph was taken after Mahathir returned from a visit to the United Kingdom and the United Nations this year. Mahathir had been at the UK and UN from Sept 22 to Oct 1.
Mohamad said they had met Mahathir with the aim of reviving the 72-year-old Umno following the defeat of the Barisan Nasional in the 14th general election in May.
“The Umno Supreme Council members had made the courtesy call (on Mahathir) to discuss the current political situation and seek clarification on his statement in New York that Umno will collapse. I appealed to Mahathir not to dissolve Umno,“ he said.
The photograph was circulated by certain quarters in the belief that the Umno senior leaders had met Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairman, with the aim of resigning from Umno following the exodus of Sabah Umno leaders yesterday. — <i>Bernama</i>
