KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) must not collaborate with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form a new government, its treasurer-general Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.
While the country needs a stable government, the Sembrong MP, who retained his seat for Umno, said BN should work with “parties that share common values and goals”.
“However, I am consistent in my stand that we should not cooperate with PH,” he said on Facebook following the 15th general election (GE15) in which BN performed disastrously.
BN won 30 federal seats in GE15, compared to 79 in the 2018 general election. Of the total Umno, which won 54 seats in the previous election, won only 26 this time.
No coalition is presently able to form a new government on its own and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has given coalition and party leaders until 2pm tomorrow to submit to the Dewan Rakyat speaker their political composition to establish a new government for the monarch’s consideration.
They must also include the name of a prime minister candidate with the majority support of Dewan Rakyat members.
Hishammuddin, who retained Sembrong with a 10,880-vote majority said even though no party was currently capable of forming a government, the people had made their choice in the election and BN had to respect it, as well as “repent”.
Earlier today, newly-appointed Umno information chief Isham Jalil said BN should not be a part of any coalition government as a sign of respect for the people’s decision in GE15.
The Umno Supreme Council member said BN should instead serve as the opposition and act to check and balance the government.
“We shouldn’t join any coalition government. The rakyat has chosen us to be the opposition, and we should respect their wishes,” Isham said. – The Vibes, November 20, 2022
