“He must be responsible for his statement,” Azmin, who is also Selangor menteri besar, told reporters at a function in Kota Damansara here today.
This comes just one day after a DAP leader seemed to distance himself from Zaid, who is a DAP member.
Yesterday, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua was reported as saying that DAP members are “free to express their views but must be willing to face the repercussions”.
The 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.
Pua added that such actions would affect the party, especially when the person involved did not hold any position in the party.
The controversy started earlier this week when the ruler had reportedly said that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’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.
On Thursday, 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.
Late yesterday, Zaid took to Twitter to lament his current situation.
“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 said in the message posted on Twitter.