Umno man quits council post after branding DAP his party’s ‘main enemy’

Permatang Pauh Umno chief Zaidi Said has resigned as a Seberang Perai city councillor following a speech he delivered at his party’s general assembly last weekend, in which he branded DAP as his party’s “main enemy”.

In a Facebook post, state executive councillor H’ng Mooi Lye thanked Zaidi for being willing to apologise and relinquishing his post, thereby taking responsibility for his mistake.

H’ng shared a copy of Zaidi’s resignation letter addressed to him, with copies also sent to chief minister Chow Kon Yeow, Penang Umno chief Musa Sheikh Fadzir, and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) chairman Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid.

In his letter dated Sept 14, Zaidi said that after reviewing his speech at the Umno gathering, he realised that he needed to exercise greater caution when expressing views concerning parties that jointly form the state government.

“I wish to express, with a full sense of responsibility, my regret and apologise for the speech I delivered.

“I accept that this is an important lesson for me: individual views and positions must be expressed with due consideration, particularly when one also holds responsibilities within a shared state administration.

“After giving this matter deep consideration and as a sign that I am taking full responsibility for this mistake, I hereby officially resign as an MBSP councillor, effective Sept 14,” he said.

Zaidi also stressed that his decision to resign was made on his own accord and without any coercion from any party.

“I will subsequently leave it to my party to propose another individual deemed suitable to fill the vacancy and carry on the responsibility and duties,” he said.

He acknowledged that the Umno general assembly should not have been used to express views that “could create perceptions or misunderstandings about DAP”, particularly in the context of cooperation and the administration of the Penang government.

He said he also recognised that Umno and DAP have their own histories, principles, political approaches and ideologies shaped over many years, and that building mutual understanding and finding common ground would require time, wisdom, maturity and mutual respect from all.

At the Umno general assembly last week, Zaidi claimed that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s strategy of cooperating with PKR is aimed at weakening the party, which will eventually affect its coalition partner DAP.

He said DAP, seen as Umno’s “main enemy”, cannot be directly defeated because it has its own voter support.

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