Zahid meant cooperate with PAS, not merge - Annuar

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa has come to the defence of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who called for an Umno-PAS merger, saying that the latter's meaning should not be misinterpreted.

He explained that Zahid had merely meant that the two parties should "join forces" and cooperate with one another and not merge.

"I want to explain. When Zahid invites PAS, it wasn't meant to be a merger but cooperation. Bergabung tenaga (join forces).

"To merge (with PAS) is not a matter for the president to speak about off the cuff as he must refer to the supreme council and it must be discussed, including with BN (component parties).

"I understand (MCA president) Wee Ka Siong was alarmed by this invitation (to PAS) [..] it was not meant as a merger but just an invitation to join forces on issues we agree on," he said to reporters when at Parliament today.

Elaborating further, Annuar deemed the prospect of an Umno-PAS merger as "remote".

He added that the closest possibility of a merger would be between Umno and Pakatan Harapan component party Bersatu.

"That would be more natural as both parties are Malay and bumiputera-based and the (Bersatu) leadership is formerly from the same party.

"I am not saying we are going for that merger, but for Umno and PAS to merge, that to me would be remote and not strategic," he added.

'Laughing stock'

Annuar was responding to criticism levelled against Zahid by MCA president Wee Ka Siong who accused the Umno president of failing to take into consideration the feelings of BN component parties.

This came after Zahid, during a joint Umno-PAS rally in Pasir Salak on Saturday, openly stated said it was time for the two parties to "merge".

Zahid had said: "Dear (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang, God willing, under my leadership, let us bercantum (merge).

"Let us merge, let us set aside our differences in the name of Islam, Malays, Malaysia and the bumiputera."

However, this call was ignored by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang when it was the latter's turn to speak, prompting Wee to state Zahid had turned himself into a "laughing stock". - Mkini