BARISAN Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged calm following sharp criticism from top Umno leaders over a year-end Facebook post by DAP publicity secretary Yeo Bee Yin celebrating the High Court’s rejection of former prime minister Najib Razak’s bid for house arrest.

“Do not add fuel to the fire,” Ahmad Zahid wrote in the post, which has garnered more than 4,500 likes and 2,900 comments.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno president and deputy prime minister, did not elaborate further.

The controversy stems from Yeo’s Facebook post linking to a news article titled “No house arrest for Najib”, posted hours after the High Court ruled that the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s addendum on Najib’s house arrest was invalid, as it had not been discussed during the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting.

Several Umno leaders have condemned a social media post by Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin following the High Court’s decision on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s judicial review application, calling her remarks insensitive and disrespectful.

In a Facebook post, Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, who is also BN secretary-general, said there was no justification to celebrate the outcome of a court case involving personal suffering.

“Why (the) need to celebrate? Don’t celebrate the suffering of others,” he said in his post, warning against political arrogance.

“Life is a cycle. Remember your leaders are not infallible either,” Zambry added.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, meanwhile, described Yeo’s remarks as deeply inappropriate, noting that she is also DAP’s national publicity secretary.

“The statement is extremely rude and inhumane,” he said, adding that even if one disagreed with the court decision, basic decency should prevail.