Umno gives DAP four options, including Parliament dissolution - Azalina

PUTRAJAYA – The tension between Umno and DAP within the Unity Government is becoming increasingly apparent, with Umno presenting four options to the party, including the possibility of dissolving Parliament, following DAP's dissatisfaction over developments surrounding the conditional pardon of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Umno Information Chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the options included seeking mediation through the Consultative Council, allowing the existing arrangement to continue, reviewing Paragraph C of the Coalition Agreement or ending political cooperation through the dissolution of Parliament.

She said the Malaysia Unity Government Cooperation Agreement, signed on Dec 16, 2022, did not provide for a termination clause before the end of the 15th Parliament's term.

"Therefore, the clear conclusion in this matter is the dissolution of the 15th Parliament," she said in a statement on Friday.

Commenting on DAP National Chairman Gobind Singh Deo's call for Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to resign if he did not support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership, Azalina described the move as regrettable.

She said publicly pressuring the president of a coalition party was neither a constructive approach nor consistent with the spirit of the Coalition Agreement.

Instead, she said, any differences of opinion among coalition partners should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations, rather than public pressure or demands for a leader to resign.

"Clause 5(c) provides for a mediation mechanism through the Consultative Council, comprising representatives of participating coalitions, to monitor the implementation of the Coalition Agreement and facilitate the amicable resolution of any disputes or misunderstandings.

"In this regard, it is rather surprising that the mediation clause was not invoked earlier, given that the matter concerning the pardon has been publicly known since January 2024," she said.

Azalina said that under Clause 4 of the Coalition Agreement, Umno recognised the commitment of Unity Government parties to support Anwar on matters involving confidence motions, supply bills and issues affecting the constitutional legitimacy of the Federal Government.

However, she said this commitment did not mean that every party was required to agree unconditionally with all of Anwar's political positions or statements, or those made by leaders of other parties.

She also stressed that the Coalition Agreement was not merely about political cooperation and power-sharing, but also included a commitment to uphold the Federal Constitution, including the position of Islam, the Malays and Bumiputera, as well as the institution of the Malay Rulers.

"Paragraph C of the Agreement's Preamble is its most important section, reaffirming the signatories' commitment to defending the Federal Constitution, including the constitutional position of Islam, the Malays and Bumiputera, as well as the institution of the Malay Rulers," she said.

The exchange of remarks between Gobind, who is also Digital Minister and Zahid arose following a proposal to dissolve Parliament after Anthony Loke resigned as Transport Minister.

The Damansara MP challenged Zahid and ministers from Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) to resign from the Cabinet if they no longer had confidence in or agreed with Anwar's leadership.

Zahid rejected the demand, stressing that there was no reason for BN ministers to resign as their support for Anwar at the Federal level had never wavered.

Instead, he suggested that DAP leaders who disagreed with the current arrangement follow Anthony's example and resign, describing the demand as akin to being unable to accept a breakup.

On the issue of Najib's pardon, Azalina, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), said the power of pardon under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution was a constitutional power vested in the relevant authority and subject to established procedures and institutional arrangements.

As such, she said, the exercise of this power should not be portrayed as a unilateral political decision attributable to any party, including Umno.

Meanwhile, Azalina questioned DAP's Central Executive Committee (CEC) decision on Sept 19, 2026, to have its secretary-general resign as Transport Minister over the developments surrounding Najib's conditional pardon.

She said the decision was made unilaterally without prior consultation, contributing to political instability among coalition partners.

Nevertheless, she stressed that Umno would remain in the Unity Government as a collective decision in the interest of the people and out of its responsibility to the country.

"Umno will continue to honour the commitments made, respect the Prime Minister's leadership and uphold the Federal Constitution," she said.