I apologised to Zahid after calling for his resignation – Onn Hafiz

KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has revealed it was advice from the Johor royal household that led him to personally apologise to Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after calling on him to resign.

He said His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail had privately counselled him that his remarks had gone too far and that making amends was the right course of action.

“They told me it was okay to apologise and to go and see my president. We have a state to run,” he said on the 200th episode of political podcast Keluar Sekejap.

He said he subsequently sought out Zahid and apologised without reservation.

“I apologised if my remarks had hurt his feelings in any way. Alhamdulillah, I think he forgave me.

“In terms of party relationships and getting things done, that is now water under the bridge,” he said.

The candid admission came after co-host Shahril Hamdan raised the fact that Onn Hafiz had been the first Umno leader to publicly call for Zahid’s resignation after GE15, yet emerged without disciplinary action while Shahril himself was suspended for making similar remarks.

“You were the first to say it. I was only the second, and I was the one who got suspended,” Shahril pointed out.

Onn Hafiz did not shy away from the question.

“At that time, I received advice from the Johor palace. And I also prayed a lot,” he said, drawing laughter from the hosts.

BN won only 30 seats at GE15, prompting calls within the party for Zahid to follow the example of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who stepped down as BN chairman following BN’s defeat at GE14.

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المصدر: New Straits Times