UMNO is reviewing its working relationship with PAS after being “betrayed” by the Islamist party, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

The Umno president said both parties lack confidence in Muafakat Nasional (MN) more than a year ago after the pact was sealed.

Last night in an interview on Facebook live with Umno Wangsa Maju committee member Rafi Awang Kechik, Zahid said that there was no “light at the end of the tunnel” for the two political parties to continue working together.

“It’s bad enough that Umno was betrayed once, but after it recurred time and again, I think it is time the cooperation is reviewed,” he said, without disclosing how and when the betrayals occurred.

“We have to be transparent, create trust and not betray one another.”

The MN pact has seen the two parties working together in seven by-elections as the opposition before the collapse the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration in February 2020.

PAS subsequently joined Bersatu in Perikatan Nasional but Umno opted to stay out.

Umno has also decided not to work Bersatu and PN in the general election.

Zahid yesterday said Umno would go solo in the Malacca polls signalling that his party’s partnership with PAS had run its course.

“MN has never been registered and because of that, I do not see any possible way to realise the dream in Malacca. Umno will go solo,” said the Bagan Datoh MP.

In a recent interview, Zahid had said that to go by the social media comments that Umno had been stabbed in the back, it was better for the party to “go solo” under the Barisan Nasional flag in the next general election.

He said it was more prudent for Umno to leave its options open for negotiations to form a coalition government with the winners post-general election.

Meanwhile, elections are looming in Malacca following the dissolution of its state assembly after four representatives announced they had lost confidence in Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.

The four were Sungai Udang assemblyman and former chief minister Idris Haron Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor).

Because of the threat of Covid-19, some have called on Putrajaya to declare a state of emergency to delay the polld. A decision is expected soon. – October 13, 2021.