Zahid and Umno Melaka clash on working with Bersatu

(FMT) – Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has slammed the door shut on working with Bersatu in the impending Melaka state election, amid talk that the state’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN) chapters are considering joining forces.

Umno is part of BN, while Bersatu is part of PN.

“I am sorry… No way,” he told Malaysiakini when asked if the two parties would continue cooperating.

Zahid has over the past few days reiterated the party’s stance about not working with Bersatu in the next general election, saying it was a decision made by both the Umno Supreme Council and its grassroots at its AGM last year.

Separately, however, Melaka BN has said it would consider a proposal by PN to work together in the state election.

According to Harian Metro, state BN chairman and Umno chief Ab Rauf Yusoh said it was a “good idea which would be reviewed” before being taken up to the leadership.

“We welcome the proposal by (Melaka) PN chairman Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen for BN and PN to join forces. But we would need to discuss it further,” the Malay daily quoted him as saying.

Yesterday, Melaka governor Mohd Ali Rustam dissolved the state assembly following an announcement that four assemblymen had retracted support for chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali, resulting in the latter losing the slim majority he had held.