Zahid: Umno won’t work with PAS while Hadi is president

 

Umno will not cooperate with PAS as long as Abdul Hadi Awang remains the Islamist party’s president.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was based on his party’s previous experience working with PAS, claiming the latter had betrayed many joint decisions made by both parties.

“PAS has been lying from the beginning until now. I’m a living witness to the four-point discussion with Hadi.

“When we were face-to-face, we agreed, but the next day, he changed (his mind) and said he disagreed.

“Don’t believe it (PAS), as long as that person is its president. Don’t expect us (Umno) to cooperate with a party that rides on Islam,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

Zahid (above, left) said this while officiating the Kuala Kangsar Umno Delegates Conference 2024 at the Perak Jubilee Hall earlier today.

In February, Zahid accused PAS of being “insincere” for wanting to revive the cooperation between the parties via Muafakat Nasional.

Zahid said his party doubted PAS’ sincerity in re-establishing ties as it was PAS, not Umno, which withdrew from Muafakat Nasional and violated the agreement between the two parties.

Umno and PAS formed Muafakat after BN’s defeat in 2019. However, the alliance unravelled the following year when PAS also sought to work with Bersatu in Perikatan Nasional.

Harapan is sincere

Meanwhile, Zahid said that Harapan was sincere in working together in both politics and the administration.

This was seen in the cooperation during several by-elections, he added.

“Harapan had wanted the menteri besar of Perak to be from BN despite we only holding nine seats in the state assembly.

“The same was true in Pahang, where Harapan was willing to accept a menteri besar from BN,” the deputy prime minister said.

Political cooperation

In a separate report on the same speech, the New Straits Times quoted Zahid also reminding party members not to be arrogant and accept that the best way to ensure the Umno’s survival is through political cooperation.

“We must accept the fact that in politics there are no permanent enemies or friends.

“Today might be a friend, tomorrow an enemy... And today an enemy, but perhaps a friend tomorrow,” he reportedly said. - Mkini