Taking to Twitter to lament his current situation, he said, “Looks like I have no friends who will stand by me in my current predicament. I will try to see DPM Zahid Hamidi as soon as he is available. After all this is about the safety of my life and that of my family,” he wrote in a tweet this evening.
Though not giving any details, it is believed he was referring to a comment from his DAP colleague Tony Pua, who told the media today that DAP members are “free to express their views but must be willing to face the repercussions”.
Pua, who is DAP national publicity secretary, was asked to comment on Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s rebuke to Zaid, asking the lawyer-turned-politician to return to Kelantan.
The situation is an interesting turn of events for Zaid, who just days ago had said in a blog post that “beleaguered Prime Minister Najib Razak was all alone and had few friends even within his party, Umno”.
The controversy started earlier this week when the ruler had reportedly said that Mahathir’s political agenda was motivated by “deep hatred” and that “his anger will burn the whole country”.
In response, Zaid had tweeted: “The Selangor sultan should be careful with his words. No one is immune when the country burns.”
His tweet had caused an uproar, especially among Umno leaders and members who called for action to be taken against Zaid for his criticism of the sultan.
Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar had said that Selangor Umno would hold a rally on Sunday to defend and support Sultan Sharafuddin.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun had also said that Zaid could be investigated soon under the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act based on the police reports that had been lodged against him.