UMNO should resolve its internal crisis before it damages the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, warned Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

The Bersatu information chief said the country’s biggest Malay party’s problem was its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He noted that Zahid threw in Umno’s lot with Anwar Ibrahim when the opposition leader made a bid to be the next prime minister when the party is part of the PN government.

Speaking at a live interview session on Facebook, Wan Saiful said the problem with Umno will persist.

“If Umno’s internal issues are not solved, then we will have symptoms like this – suddenly expressing support for the opposition. What should we do in a situation like this?

“I do not want to interfere in Umno internal matters. But I really hope that our friends in Umno can solve this issue, so that we would not face such problem and can continue to focus giving our service to the public,” he said referring to the letter that Zahid had sent to the King last year supporting Anwar’s bid to be Prime Minister.

The Umno general assembly last weekend resolved to sever ties with Bersatu in the general election.

The party also approved a motion for Umno to remain in the PN government until parliament is dissolved.

Wan Saiful said if Umno did not want to work with Bersatu or PN it should announce its choice for the next prime minister.

“The biggest question is who would be the next prime minister. For us in PN, it is clear that our candidate is Muhyiddin Yassin. And for the Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition, their candidate is clear – Anwar Ibrahim.

“But if one sits in the middle – not on the Muhyiddin side, nor the Anwar side – who do they want to be the next PM? Are they proposing someone from their own party, or do they want to bring down Muhyiddin and bring up Anwar and (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng?” he asked. – April 1, 2021.