Kick us out of govt if you dare, Zahid tells critics

 The Umno president also dares critics to table a no-confidence motion against the prime minister.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Barisan Nasional joined forces with Pakatan Harapan in 2022 to ensure political stability.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in another veiled jab at Pakatan Harapan, has challenged the party’s critics to kick out Umno and Barisan Nasional from the unity coalition government.

Zahid also dared the critics to table a no-confidence motion against the prime minister in the Dewan Rakyat. “Do you dare? If so, do it quickly. I dare you to dissolve Parliament as soon as possible,” he said in his winding-up speech at the Umno general assembly here this evening.

He said Umno and BN had agreed to form the unity government with PH, on the king’s advice, after the 2022 general election resulted in a hung Parliament.

BN had decided at the time to join forces with PH to ensure political stability. “But cooperation does not mean surrendering the party’s future,” he said. “We can join forces without losing our identity and negotiate without compromising our principles.”

Zahid also said Umno and BN remained free to chart their own political course, including at the next general election and the coming Melaka state election, and urged members to remain united ahead of the polls.

Zahid’s veiled attacks on PH come a day after he took jabs at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim whom he referred to as “guru” and said that Umno could do better than the PKR president.

He also criticised uncertainties surrounding government policies, particularly on taxation and for flip-flopping on the BUDI95 quota. - FMT