KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin today assured that the party’s lawmakers who support the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration will not lose their place within the party.
In a statement today, Khaled called for unity within the party following a visible schism within its ranks to either support or abandon the ruling government.
While Khaled acknowledged the political ramification for the party to withdraw its support for PN, he stressed the need for the party to remain united for the sake of the Malay community and to face the challenges together.
“Umno must be present and stand as a bastion for the Malays that have a united will and determination instead of being fragmented and on differing paths.
“Especially in the current situation which is very clear that the PM and PN are no longer able to defend the existing government.
“So, Umno must be united again. To all Umno MPs in PN, your place in the party has never been lost,” he said.
Khaled said those with differing views within the party are not enemies as they are all brothers in arms who have built the party together.
“What we must remember is that PN is no more than a medium for Umno to contribute to the race and nation. We support it when there is an obvious benefit for race and country. We reject it when it has failed and is no longer on the right track.
“However, Umno does not live for today. Umno looks to the future. On that basis, Insyaallah Umno will immediately leave this episode to open a new more important chapter.
“For now, Umno’s priority is to contribute to resolving the national crisis and Umno’s victory in the coming GE,” he said.
