Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cited the example of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein who had engaged the opposition and eventually formed the BN when asked about Umno's current position on certain parties in the opposition.
Zahid, in an interview in conjunction with Umno's 75th anniversary, was responding to a question about the Umno supreme council's "No Anwar, No DAP" position.
"When Tun Razak was the Umno deputy president and deputy prime minister, who did he not engage with?
"He spoke to PAS, Gerakan, PPP who were the opposition at the time for the sake of national interest," he said in the interview which was shared on his official Facebook page.
Likewise, Zahid said Razak also engaged the opposition parties in Sabah and Sarawak.
"Our parties can have different philosophy and principles but we do what is good for the country.
"When BN was formed, it got the agreement from all the parties from within and outside," he said.
Zahid called BN "Perikatan 2.0" as he said it is a reincarnation of the original Alliance coalition during the nation's formative years, which was also referred to as "Perikatan".
The Bagan Datuk MP said he also expected the formation of a "Perikatan 3.0" after the 15th general election. He said the new coalition will replace the current Perikatan Nasional government which he said is "not authentic and genuine".
"When the 15th general election arrives... I am almost certain that something will happen... there will be Perikatan 3.0 with Umno as the core Malay and Muslim party. Not Perikatan Nasional."
He also repeatedly stressed the changing political dynamics in the country.
Zahid pointed out that Umno did not lose in the 14th general election but could not form the federal government because its coalition fell short in the number of parliamentary seats.
"We have to accept the reality that the political landscape has changed," he said. - Mkini
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