BARISAN Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa disagrees with those from his party, Umno, who have been at odds with allies Bersatu and PAS over seat negotiations for the 15th general election.

“The Umno leadership has already agreed to form a joint committee, already agreed to discuss, so why are there some saying we cannot share, we cannot give way.

“We are in the process of discussing, so why is there opposition? You want Umno to go solo? You want us to go with DAP?

“Take Ketereh for example, where I will stand. If we reject Bersatu, then Bersatu will stand in Ketereh. Then, who are the PAS supporters supposed to vote for? They will surely vote to support Perikatan Nasional (PN), and Bersatu will win.

“So I will lose (Ketereh). Why would we want to cause ourselves to lose?” said Annuar who is the MP for the seat in PAS-led Kelantan.

He was speaking to reporters in Ketereh today after officiating the Umno Ketereh division annual general meeting. Umno divisions are in the midst of holding their annual meetings ahead of the main body’s AGM on January 30 and 31.

Annuar, unlike some other Umno leaders, has taken a conciliatory tone with Bersatu, which some perceive as a smaller splinter party dominating the government and for edging out the bigger Umno, which had led federal power for six decades.

The federal territories minister said Umno must seek a winning formula.

“I doubt we can win on our own.

“From early on, we already agreed to hold discussions (on seat negotiations). Why then do some say we must not share, or put up all sorts of objections.

“Just discuss first. I want Umno to be on the winning team and I want Umno to have many friends.”

He said the talks have agreed “in principle” on nearly 100 out of 222 parliamentary seats, but details have yet to be worked out.

The 100 include Umno’s 55 seats, which it will defend, another “up to 15 seats” which it does not hold but wants to contest, and 31 seats in Sarawak which he said BN “will not disturb”, as Umno traditionally has never interfered in BN seats or decisions in the state.

Annuar, whose conciliatory remarks towards Bersatu have led other Umno leaders to declare that he does not speak for the party, also said Umno members must accept that while the party is in the PN government, it should not openly criticise its colleagues from a different party.

“When we are in government, we must behave as one. Don’t fight with another minister just because they are from a different party and you have political differences. I don’t openly challenge the prime minister just because he heads Bersatu.

“Our support must be en bloc even if we have different opinions. Like when it came to Budget 2021, Umno had different views but when it came to voting, we supported the budget. 

“These are principles that Umno members must understand.” – January 2, 2021.