FORMER deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno will be monitoring the newly sworn in Pakatan Harapan (PH) cabinet closely to ensure the new federal government fulfil its election pledges.

The Umno vice-president, who is acting as party president, said Umno, as an opposition party, would “monitor every move and action of the new government” and “oppose constructively”.

“We will see that they deliver their pledges as stated in their PH manifesto.

“Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) feel that as a responsible government, they must deliver their 100 days in office pledges,” he told a press conference after an Umno Supreme Council meeting this evening.

PH’s ministers officially started work in Putrajaya today after they were sworn in yesterday evening at Istana Negara.

The BN administration was ousted by PH in GE14 after ruling for 61 years. Former prime minister Najib Razak resigned as Umno and BN chief on May 12 following the shocking defeat.

Zahid said Umno and BN were determining how to move forward and how their 76 MPs would play the role of the opposition.

He said what was important now was to restructure, rebrand and strengthen the party.

“We are moving forward to regain support and address our weaknesses and mistakes. We have asked leaders from all levels, from grassroots to national, to ensure continuity in Umno’s struggle.

“From experience, Umno can rise again… no government can be built on hate, issues that cannot be answered and ‘tidak berpijak atas bumi yang nyata’ (day dreams)... it will be disruptive to the people.”

Meanwhile, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who has been tasked with implementing proposals to restructure BN and Umno, said they have one month to work out the party’s ideology, structure and operations.

“We will be as inclusive as possible,” he said when asked how they would go about it. – May 22, 2018.