Malaysia: Bersatu to decide on cooperation with Umno on 4 Mar 21

  • THE Bersatu supreme council will meet on 4 Mar 21 at 4pm to decide on Umno’s decision not to work with the party in the next election, said Hamzah Zainudin.
  • “The meeting will discuss Umno’s decision to stop cooperating with Bersatu in GE15 but to support the Perikatan Nasional government until Parliament is dissolved,” said the Bersatu secretary-general in a statement on 4 Mar 21.
  • He said that Umno’s decisions will also be discussed at the PN supreme council meeting that includes PAS, Star, SAPP and Gerakan.
  • Hamzah opined that this comes following Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s letter conveying its Supreme Council members’ decision not to cooperate with Bersatu in the upcoming 15th general election (GE15).
  • “The letter dated 26 Feb 21 was discussed at the party’s political bureau meeting chaired by President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on 3 Mar 21 and we took note of the decision made by Umno following a meeting held in Janda Baik, Pahang on 26 Feb 21,” he said.
  • The letter said the Umno Supreme Council decided during its meeting in Janda Baik on 19 Feb 21 to reject any political cooperation with Bersatu in GE15.
  • “Umno, however, has decided it will remain in the PN government until Parliament is dissolved,” said the letter signed by Zahid.
  • This comes after former Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said on 3 Mar 21 that Umno has made a decision on the party’s position on working with Bersatu and wanted Zahid to make it public.
  • He claimed the Umno president had conveyed the decision made at its Supreme Council meeting on 19 Feb 21 in a letter to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin on 26 Feb 21.
  • Annuar asked why party members have not been informed on the matter, if the letter had been sent to Bersatu to convey the decision.
  • The Federal Territories Minister said there was no need to hide the decision from the party’s grassroots, who have long been in the dark over the party’s future direction.
  • Annuar said he found it baffling the council had made the decision not to work with Bersatu, having earlier said it will be decided by the party’s delegates at the annual general assembly.
  • To this end, Annuar opined that Zahid’s decision to not work with Bersatu is “premature”, highlighting that a lot of things may happen between now and when an election is called.
  • “In a time when we have to have an election, this decision has made Umno a ‘lame duck’, with weakened power to negotiate in the government.”, he said.
  • “Those who will have to pay the price will be the grassroots”, Annuar added.
  • Annuar in his posting said there was no need to quietly send letters to each other.
  • The party’s Supreme Council had on 6 Jan 21 said its annual general assembly slated for 27 and 28 Mar 21 will decide on whether to continue working with Bersatu.

External Link : https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/303446

External Link : https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/stance-bersatuumno-ties-be-decided-evening-says-hamzah

External Link : https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/303497

External Link : https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/303341

4-Mar-2021