.jpg "Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi speaks to reporters at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur on August 8, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 ― The entire Umno leadership will attend this year's PAS muktamar in Kuala Terengganu next week, party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have just received an invitation to attend the PAS muktamar.
“God willing, I will attend. Our deputy president will also attend, so will our vice presidents, secretary-general, youth chief, women chief and Puteri chief to show our moral support for PAS and its leadership,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying at a PAS ceramah for the Seri Setia by-election campaign last night.
The same ceramah was also reportedly attended by MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan and MCA central committee member Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.
In his speech at the PAS event, Zahid accused the Pakatan Harapan government of undermining Malay interests, saying that “the principles in the federal constitution cannot change.”
“The Malay rulers must be respected, Malay privileges must be respected, Bahasa Malaysia as the national language must be respected and Islam as the religion of the federation cannot be questioned,” he said.
The Seri Setia by-election will see a straight fight between PKR’s Halimey Abu Bakar and PAS’ Dr Halimah Ali.
Umno has given PAS its approval to contest the seat even though it was previously an Umno state seat.
Umno has also actively campaigned for the Islamist party in Seri Setia.
Zahid said the by-election is the beginning of a political cooperation between Umno and PAS.
“If PAS on its own can defend Kelantan and Terengganu, then God willing, if it works with Umno towards the 15th general election, we can get many more states and even Putrajaya,” he said.
