KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu has questioned Umno’s reason in delaying new political alliances until after the 15th general election.
Ahmad Faizal was commenting on Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s formal affirmation yesterday to sever ties with Bersatu and that his party will contest the election alone under the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition banner in spite of its other political alliances.
“I hope the BN leadership has considered it carefully before coming to that decision.
“I really hope this decision is not made based on any one leader’s interest in seeking to form new ranks as soon as GE15 is over.
“Some see it as trickery, and if true, may the rakyat not fall for it,” he told Utusan Malaysia.
Zahid told delegates at Umno’s 75th annual party general meeting here yesterday that the party is open to working with anyone to form a government, but will only form new alliances with other parties outside the BN coalition after the general election when it knows the number of parliamentary seats won.
Zahid, who is also BN chairman, said the decision for Umno to not cooperate with Bersatu is not motivated by arrogance or condescension but instead a desire for Umno to be dominant in forming a government.
Umno has a formal charter with Islamist PAS inked in 2019 for political cooperation, but Zahid’s remarks for the Malay nationalist party to contest under BN instead of that have cast this partnership into doubt.
