ANNUAR Musa has reminded Umno leaders to refrain from making statements that could jeopardise the prime minister and party’s ties with the Perikatan Nasional government.

The Barisan Nasional secretary-general and Umno supreme council member said this after some party leaders said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had to curry favour with MPs to stay in power.

He also dismissed the party’s supreme council member Nur Jazlan Mohamad’s statement that Bersatu’s position is fragile.

Annuar said such statements will make matters worse and does not reflect the situation at the top level.

“I hope Umno leaders will not make such statements, what more if it is false.

“I read there was a statement that the prime minister had gone to Sabah to get support from the people and other parties.

“As a political party, Bersatu has plans to strengthen the party and it is not wrong. But accusing the prime minister is wrong,” he said.

Jazlan who is also the Johor Umno deputy chief said yesterday that Muhyiddin has started negotiating with his party to stay in power until the end of the term.

He said Muhyiddin should just dissolve Parliament to pave way for the 15th general elections instead of soliciting deals here and there.

Annuar said he understood the sentiments of the grassroots on the cooperation between the parties.

He said a similar situation happened when Umno forged an alliance with PAS.

However, the differences have been set aside and settled between the top leadership of the parties and both Umno and PAS leaders are now comfortable working with each other. 

“Sometimes leaders have to make certain decisions and only then explain the move to the grassroots,” he said.

“It took us years to start working with PAS. The first idea was mooted in 2012. It has been more than 7 years and only now it has been officially formed,” he said.

Muhyiddin is currently in Sabah ahead of the state elections next month.

He is scheduled to meet Bersatu leaders and local leaders.

Besides Nur Jazlan, other Umno and PAS leaders have also urged Muhyiddin to call elections. – August 30, 2020.