UMNO’S decision not to work with Bersatu has serious implications on the future cooperation between both parties and the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, said Hamzah Zainuddin.

In a short statement, the Bersatu secretary-general said the party will instead focus on strengthening its cooperation with its component parties in PN.

“Bersatu has decided to keep focusing on developing cooperation with allies in PN, which are PAS, STAR, SAPP and Gerakan, based on a struggle that is sincere and honest for the people in order to win the next general election,” he said in the statement.

He said Bersatu is of the view that the Umno decision does not affect the PN government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the government is still strong and functioning to serve the public.

The statement was issued following a two-hour meeting by the Bersatu supreme council, chaired by Muhyiddin, in Putrajaya this evening.

The meeting was called following Umno’s decision not to work with the splinter party in the next elections.

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

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

In a statement earlier 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 PN. 

He said Muhyiddin, who is 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. – March 4, 2021.