UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has no power to make a decision on his own for Barisan Nasional (BN) to support Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form the federal government, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today. 

The Umno vice-president said the decision can only be made by BN’s supreme council. 

“The president has no such power. BN candidates stood under the BN ticket. 

“Even the Umno political bureau has no right or power to make a decision on this. Only the BN supreme council can decide. 

“So let BN make that decision,” said the interim prime minister as BN leaders arrived at a Kuala Lumpur hotel this morning for a meeting with PH ahead of a 2pm deadline given by the king to form the government. 

Zahid, who is also the BN chairman, has opposed the decision of some BN MPs to support the Muhyiddin Yassin-led Perikatan Nasional (PN) to form the federal government. 

BN’s support will determine if PH or PN has the required numbers to form the government. 

BN won only 30 seats, far behind PH’s 82 and PN’s 73 in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, making for a historic hung parliament despite a massive 15 million-strong turnout at Saturday’s polls. 

PH and BN have enough seats between them to make up a simple 112-majority to form the government. 

The Agong has ordered leaders of political parties to inform the palace by 2pm about any agreement to cooperate and form the government. 

They were also asked to submit their prime ministerial candidates.

Earlier, Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, also from Umno, said Zahid does not have the mandate to negotiate with PH.

The Simpang Renggam Umno vice-chairman said Umno’s previous decision not to cooperate with Anwar Ibrahim and DAP still stands.

“Therefore, any decision made by the party president without the proper process is considered invalid in terms of the party’s constitution.

“Umno’s final decision is not to cooperate with Anwar and DAP.

“Let us continue to be dignified and principled even when tested by defeat. God willing there is wisdom,” he said in a statement.

Yesterday, Zahid insisted in a statement that he was given a mandate by the BN parliamentarians through an undertaking they had signed earlier.

Onn Hafiz was the first to call for Zahid to step down as Umno president to take responsibility for BN’s defeats in the general election. – November 21, 2022.