MN can be restored, but without ‘traitors’, Zahid tells PAS

 

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left) and his PAS counterpart Abdul Hadi Awang at the formation of Muafakat Nasional in 2019.

PETALING JAYA: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has maintained that his party will never welcome cooperation with “traitors”.

In a statement, Zahid said any effort to restore Muafakat Nasional or any form of consensus and cooperation must be guided by the principles and spirit of the original charter as it was once signed and agreed upon.

“However, Umno will never be able to accept those who continue to act treacherously or make Barisan Nasional their main enemy,” he said, in reference to a recent statement by Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, had reminded his party last month that its main enemy at the 15th general election is BN.

Zahid said Umno had never rejected the Muslim unity agenda, saying this is what will ensure political stability in the country.

“That is why Umno has always emphasised sincerity and honesty in any form of agreement,” he said.

PAS has said it wants to cooperate with both Umno and Bersatu to face the elections as part of its Muslim unity agenda. Umno has maintained that it will not accept cooperation with Bersatu.

Relations between PAS and Umno soured when PAS allied with Bersatu to form Perikatan Nasional, putting MN in a fragile position with some Umno members going as far as saying that the alliance no longer existed.

On Sept 20, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang met Zahid at the latter’s residence. Zahid confirmed the meeting yesterday.

He said PAS had to meet three demands if it wanted to return to political cooperation, which was to leave PN, sever political ties with Bersatu and officially announce that they would separate from PN and Bersatu. - FMT