Umno man wants party to distance itself from PH, DAP in polls

Isham Jalil said Umno could not survive without grassroots support.

PETALING JAYA: An Umno Supreme Council member has urged the party to distance itself from Pakatan Harapan (PH), especially DAP, in any future elections and contest on its own.

Isham Jalil said this would help win back party grassroots who had rejected Umno’s current alliance with the PH component.

However, he said, Barisan Nasional (BN) could still remain in the unity government.

“We could contribute in matters relating to government policy and at the same time attract the grassroots (without DAP ties),” he said in a Facebook post.

Isham added that while Umno may not succeed in future by-elections after distancing itself from DAP, it would at least help return grassroots support.

“This will give us some chance to revive the party,” he said, adding that the party could not survive without grassroots support.

Umno is hoping to retain the Pelangai state seat in Pahang in a by-election next month.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Johari Harun in an airplane crash last month.

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party would send its entire machinery to help BN in the Pelangai by-election. - FMT