Mahfuz to Umno: Find honourable exit, don't wait to get chased out

 

Umno needs to find an honourable exit if it chooses to align with PAS and Perikatan Nasional, and should not wait for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to "chase" them out of Putrajaya, Amanah vice-president Mahfuz Omar said.

Mahfuz (above) noted that in successive state elections, Umno has consistently chosen to cooperate with PAS-PN while still enjoying power and positions within the government.

The situation is made more awkward when Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi openly criticises Anwar's leadership, he said.

"In my view, the time has come for Umno-BN to make a clear decision. If they are more comfortable making PAS and PN their political partners to face Pakatan Harapan, they must be brave enough to accept the implications of that choice.

"Do not continue to ride on power in Putrajaya while building political strength with parties that want to overthrow their own government allies," he said in a statement.

The Amanah leader said Umno must not treat the prime minister "like a host who is forced to chase away a guest, when the guest has long been looking for a new house and inviting others to demolish the house they are living in."

Umno-BN has resumed its cooperation with PAS-PN to face the Malacca state election, after a stint in the Negeri Sembilan polls which saw them successfully capture the state from Harapan.

Umno and PAS leaders previously signalled that the cooperation could extend beyond the Malacca polls into the 16th general election - the arrangement being a potential new blueprint.

Ties between Umno and the government also appear strained after a temporary halt to former premier Najib Abdul Razak's house arrest. - Mkini