TENGKU Razaleigh Hamzah wants Umno to quit the Perikatan Nasional government immediately instead of waiting until the next general election to do so.

The Gua Musang MP said the party leadership should stop the theatrics and cut ties with Bersatu now.

“End ties now and leave the Perikatan Nasional government now. Stop the ‘wayang kulit’ (theatrics). There is no benefit or impact.

“My advice to all Umno members in the government and its government linked corporations is to quit. Muhyiddin has threatened to throw us out, why wait? Quit immediately and protect your dignity and Umno’s dignity,” he said in brief statement tonight.

The party advisory council chairman urged the Umno Supreme Council to meet immediately to discuss cutting ties with Perikatan Nasional at once.

Umno has decided it will not work with the splinter party in the next elections.

The party will however work with the government until parliament is dissolved.

Umno president Zahid Hamidi conveyed Umno’s decision in a letter to Muhyiddin on February 26.

In a statement today, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said  the decision was made after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin pressed the party to decide once and for all whether it would cooperate with Perikatan Nasional.

He said Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the Bersatu president, had wanted Umno to decide quickly so that PN parties could start negotiating among themselves over seats in the next general election.

“The prime minister asked us to make a clear stand on our support for Bersatu before discussions on seat allocations for GE15 could take place,” said Ahmad.

He said Muhyiddin made the request in a February 15 meeting between Umno, Bersatu and PAS. Five representatives of each party were present at the meeting

Ahmad said the Umno Supreme Council met four days later on February 19 in Janda Baik to decide what to do. 

“The decision of the Supreme Council was unanimous. We agreed that we will not work with Bersatu in GE15 and that we will continue working with them only until parliament is dissolved,” he said.

 The decision was made after careful consideration, taking into account the opinions of the grassroots and the benefits of being in the government during the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.

Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said the party leadership will meet later today to discuss the latest development.

He said Umno’s decision will also be discussed at a PN supreme council meeting attended by PAS, STAR, SAPP and Gerakan.

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said the move to sever ties was “premature” anything could happen between now and the elections.  – March 4, 2021.