KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has challenged Pakatan Harapan (PH) Youth to demand that Warisan and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) also leave the federal government if it believes Barisan Nasional (BN) ministers should resign over BN’s cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in state elections.

Dr Akmal said the same principle should be applied to all parties that contest against PH while being part of the federal administration.

In a Facebook post today, Dr Akmal said Umno Youth’s position that Umno should leave the unity government had remained unchanged, but questioned why similar demands were not being made against other parties.

“Just as Umno Youth’s stand previously was for Umno to leave the unity government, that remains our position until today,” he said.

He said PH Youth should also pressure Warisan to leave the federal government as the party had contested against PH in the previous Sabah state election while being part of the federal administration.

“I ask PH Youth to also demand that Warisan leave because they also fought against PH in the previous Sabah state election, when they were part of the federal government,” he said.

Dr Akmal added that the same demand should be made against GPS if it contests against PH in the next Sarawak state election.

“And if after this there is a Sarawak state election and GPS contests against PH, demand that GPS also leave the federal government,” he said.

He then challenged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – who is also PH chairman – to remove all ministers and deputy ministers from BN, Warisan and GPS if PH Youth’s position was to be applied consistently.

“If not, I challenge the prime minister to remove all ministers and deputy ministers from BN, Warisan and GPS.

“Please accept this challenge,” he said.

PH Youth had earlier called for BN ministers and deputy ministers to resign following BN’s cooperation with PN in the Negeri Sembilan state election, saying the move raised questions over BN’s commitment to the unity government.

BN and PN reportedly have an electoral understanding for the Negeri Sembilan state election, with BN contesting 25 seats and PN contesting 11 seats without overlapping candidates.

PH, meanwhile, is contesting all 36 state seats on its own in the August 1 election.