[UPDATED] You’re forgiven, Zahid tells 10 Perikatan-supporting Barisan MPs

KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has forgiven the 10 coalition MPs who supported Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s bid to be prime minister after the 15th general election (GE15).

However, Zahid said the BN disciplinary council will be keeping its eye on the present and future stance taken by the 10 lawmakers.

“The matter is in the past, and the MPs involved are now part of the unity government (led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim).

“I have already said they have been pardoned, but the BN disciplinary body will be monitoring them,” he told reporters at the 2022 Umno general assembly here today.

Zahid, who is also BN linchpin Umno’s president, expressed his confidence that the 10 MPs will continue to support the unity government, in which he is deputy prime minister.

“I am sure that they were not being vindictive…they made the mistake because of the unpredictable situation then,” he said, referring to how GE15 saw no single coalition securing a simple majority to form the government.

During Zahid’s closed-door briefing to Umno delegates yesterday, he had revealed the 10 constituencies whose MPs had lent their support to Muhyiddin prior to Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar being sworn in as prime minister. 

Of the 10, six are held by Umno MPs, two by MCA and one each by MIC and PBRS. 

“The reason why I told delegates about the 10 MPs was to explain what happened behind the scenes during the formation of the unity government.

“We must take the incident as a lesson and move forward to chart a new political reality for the nation.”

GE15 saw BN’s worst electoral performance since its formation, with the coalition only securing a dismal 30 federal seats to PN’s 74 and PH’s 82.

The Umno general assembly is on its second day today and Zahid is scheduled to give his policy speech tomorrow. – The Vibes, January 12, 2023