SG SIPUT – The way in which Umno and PAS buried the hatchet after 40 years of enmity could serve as a guide for Umno and Bersatu to mend their strained ties, said a Barisan Nasional leader.
MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran said his party believes Umno and Bersatu are capable of ironing out the issues they are facing today.
“This is Umno’s stand (not to cooperate with Bersatu in the 15th general election). MIC, as a component party, respects whatever decision is taken by the BN leadership.
“I hope both (Umno and Bersatu) can come together and sort out their issues,” he told reporters at a programme to hand out medical aid at the MIC service centre here today.
Umno and Bersatu leaders have been issuing varying statements of late on GE15 seat allocations and how to secure the Malay vote.
Vigneswaran said what matters most now is for the BN leadership to set a clear direction in matters relating to inter-party cooperation in the run-up to GE15.
Meanwhile, Vigneswaran said confidential talks allegedly arranged between Umno leaders and Pakatan Harapan (PH) will not work as it would not get the blessing from the grassroots.
He said it is difficult for Umno to work with opposition parties, be it DAP, PKR or Amanah.
“I hope Umno will make the right decision despite allegations of certain leaders having ‘private discussions’ with PH because the grassroots will not be agreeable to this,” he said.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had recently not ruled out the possibility of collaborating with Umno, although he said discussions on it had not been done formally. He also said the collaboration was supported by several Umno leaders and MPs. – Bernama, March 21, 2021
