Decision to work with PH was for the benefit of the party - Zahid Hamidi

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno chose to form a unity government with Pakatan Harapan ( PH) as they had agreed to the terms that the party had put forth.

In his policy speech this morning, Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi explained that the party had approached both Pakatan Harapan ( PH) and Perikatan Nasional on different occasions two days after the 15th General Elections.

"In those meetings that we held with both parties we underlined several main foundations of this partnership such as Bumiputera and Islamic rights and terms in forming the cabinet.

"In our suggestions we also told each coalition that the government needed to be known as a Malaysian unity government," he said.

Zahid elaborated that Pakatan Harapan responded through a formal letter and had agreed to the terms, while Perikatan Nasional had only said they would consider the terms.

"As publicly known Perikatan Nasional had rejected the Yang Dipertuan Agong's royal decree to form a unity government as the PN president had claimed he had enough statutory declaration (SD) to form a government

"It was later revealed that the SD's were the 10 MP's from Barisan Nasional that won parliamentary seats in the who had gone against the party," he said He said this was the main reason why Umno could not work with Perikatan Nasional.

"They had already revealed their treacherous traits, what saddens me the most that it was planned by party insiders, by our own people.

"This is why we decided that it was best to form the government with Pakatan Harapan and our friends from Sabah and Sarawak."

He went on to say that when this decision was made there were many voices within the party claiming that the party had gone against its principles of never working with Anwar and with DAP

But the same voices never mentioned that the party had once agreed to never work with Bersatu as well.

Zahid said as a democratic party the decision was made carefully and according to the party's constitution.

"The decision was made based on what will be beneficial for the party, the supreme council had agreed this was the best direction for the party and in the spirit of democracy we chose the coalition with the bigger numbers," he elaborated.

Zahid went on to say that the decision was not made lightly and without careful consideration by the supreme council.

" hope this explains that the decision was made together. Those in the leadership framework were well aware," he said.