[UPDATED] Zahid tells assembly three reasons why Umno chose PH over PN

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has revealed the true motivations behind the party’s decision to form a government with Pakatan Harapan (PH) rather than Perikatan Nasional (PN), putting to bed any speculation surrounding the matter.

Citing three specific reasons, the deputy prime minister said PH had agreed to accede to all of Umno’s demands without question; that PN had betrayed Umno’s trust by plotting to obtain the support of 10 BN parliamentarians; and that Umno wanted to respect the mandate of the rakyat who ensured PH won the most seats in the 15th general election.

Additionally, Zahid said the decision to cooperate with PH was not made unilaterally, but involved a series of negotiations and discussion among the top party leaders. 

“The reason I’m explaining this is to dismiss all the allegations against the party, and specifically against me,” he said in his policy speech at the Umno general assembly for 2022, here, today. 

“I would also like to state here that of the 56 Supreme Council members, only two disagreed. This means 54 agreed to the party’s intention to form a unity government (with PH).”

Elaborating on the party’s direction post-election, Zahid said immediately after the polls on November 19 last year, Umno held separate negotiations with both PH and PN to state its stand and several of its conditions for cooperation. 

This included matters relating to Islam and the Malay community as well as the composition of the cabinet, and that the new government should not be identified by the name of any party but rather merely be known as a unity government. 

“In a written response, PH stated its agreement to these conditions. However, PN merely said it will give its consideration to the matters proposed by us.”

Zahid said Umno had also favoured cooperation with PH due to PN’s blatant objection to the unity government proposed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. 

“This (rejection) is because the PN chairman (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) claimed that he had enough statutory declarations to form the government. It is apparent now that this includes 10 MPs from BN, without first referring to the party. 

“This was also a factor why we could not be together with PN. It hasn’t even dawned, but the betrayal has already been done against our party. More sadly, it was devised by our own people.”

Separately, Zahid pointed out that the lending of Umno’s support for PH is done based on the spirit of democracy, considering the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led coalition won the most seats among all the major coalitions. 

In the 15th general election, PH won 82 seats, PN won 73, while BN only secured 30. 

“The rakyat has given a bigger mandate to PH, and in the spirit of democracy, we chose the one with the bigger majority. After debating over it, the Umno Supreme Council decided to be with PH,” he said. 

Zahid also acknowledged the existence of dissenting voices from within Umno questioning its decision to go against a previous “No Anwar, No DAP” resolution made by the Umno general assembly. 

To this, the party president questioned his critics on why they opted to remain silent on a separate resolution by the assembly not to cooperate with PN-component Bersatu. – The Vibes, January 13, 2023