BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said he has forgiven the 10 BN MPs who gave their support to Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin to form a government after the last general election.
While expressing confidence that the MPs are now backing the government after making a U-turn, the Umno president said he and the party’s disciplinary body would monitor them closely in the event they make any other moves in the future.
"This incident happened when parties were making efforts to form a government as no single party or coalition had enough seats at the Parliament to form a government on its own.
"But of course, we made the effort to get all the 10 (BN) MPs to withdraw their support (for Muhyiddin) by getting them to revoke their earlier statutory declarations (SDs).
"As this was a thing of the past and they are now backing the government, I have forgiven them for what had happened.
"However, together with the disciplinary committee, I would monitor the positions they take and if they are making any move (against the party). But I am confident that they will continue to be with Umno and BN in supporting the government that we have today," he said.
The deputy prime minister mentioned this to reporters when met after a side event at the 2022 Umno annual general assembly (AGM) held in the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre this afternoon.
Zahid was answering a question on whether Umno and BN would take any action against the MPs who supported Muhyiddin to form a government after results of the 15th general election in November showed no single party or coalition had the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Yesterday, the Umno president reportedly told party leaders during a closed-door briefing about what the 10 MPs did and revealed their names.
Zahid said he made the disclosure in a closed-door session because party leaders had to know what happened in the days leading to Umno agreeing to form a government with Pakatan Harapan.
On that note, the Bagan Datuk MP said he believed the MPs made a wrong move because of the uncertainty of the political situation then.
"As we have to move forward, it’s best for us to take this incident as a lesson.
"Because any decision made by the party supreme council and BN, we have to go with it en bloc.
"Because all the 30 BN MPs, including the 10, had come together again as a team, I don't think what they did was a vindictive move.
“And we now have to move forward together to give a new shape to the country's politics," he said.
Asked on a poster being sent by unknown individuals via Whatsapp to Umno delegates calling for an “Umno reset”, which promoted Umno supreme council member Johari Ghani to become the next party president, Zahid said Umno welcomes differences in opinion.
He said such a reset can be carried out together, but they should not entertain differences which can create a split within the party.
"I am of the view that it is better for us to come together and bring about drastic changes, if any, as soon as possible.
"As I have mentioned before, tomorrow in my policy speech, I would outline a new direction for Umno which is the backbone of BN to face the upcoming state elections, the next general election, and any other mass movement.
"We have to bring back the grassroots support, including those who have no party, so they can understand us and eventually give their support to Umno and BN." - Mkini
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