Umno mulls retracting support for Perikatan Nasional

By MT Webmaster Last updated Oct 14, 2020

Umno is considering retracting its support for Perikatan Nasional, but will propose new terms to the government to ensure the political cooperation will continue, its secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said tonight.

Umno, he said, will also propose to the Muafakat Nasional (MN) committee for the alliance to be registered as a political party.

“We will present the conditions with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin tomorrow,” he told reporters after a five-hour long closed-door meeting at the party’s headquarters here.

The Pontian MP added it was a unanimous decision except for its members from Sabah who could not attend due to the Covid-19 restrictions, and other leaders, such as Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob who is still undergoing self-quarantine.

Ahmad also refused to answer when asked if Umno would support opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in his bid to become prime minister and form a new government.

Umno’s statement tonight comes in the wake of Anwar’s meeting with the King this morning to present his case that he now had the majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

The opposition leader had also said he had submitted documents, including statutory declarations and confirmation of support from the heads of various political parties.

At a press conference this afternoon, the Port Dickson MP claimed that the King was expected to go through the documents after which he would be calling up leaders from several political parties in the next few days.

On Sept 23, Anwar had claimed that the majority of MPs supported him and that the government of Muhyiddin had “collapsed”, which he reiterated today.

Ahmad also said party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been granted an audience with the King on Thursday, at 5pm.

He would be the second Umno bigwig meeting the King this week after Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who met with the King this afternoon.