Zahid: Umno will not work with any parties aligned to DAP

PUCHONG: Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reiterated that his party will not cooperate with any political entity that is working with DAP.
Speaking at a press conference, Zahid said DAP was championing the Malaysian Malaysia agenda, a policy that neither Umno nor Barisan Nasional as a whole can accept.
“There will be no negotiation with any party in the Pakatan Harapan coalition as long as they work with DAP.
“Umno rejects cooperation with DAP. Therefore, we have no negotiation with other parties as long as that party conspires with DAP,” he said.
Last month, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad invited members of Malay-based parties to join Pakatan in order to strengthen the Malay community, which he claims was fragmented.
Several Umno leaders like former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and former vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had urged party leaders to look into Mahathir’s offer.
However, Zahid shot down Mahathir’s proposal saying that Umno will never work with any political entity that is aligned to DAP.
Meanwhile, the Umno Supreme Council meeting yesterday had unanimously agreed to work with PAS on the principle of ‘taawun siyasi’ (political cooperation).
Zahid said the two giant Malay-based parties will issue a joint statement on the cooperation through their secretary-generals today.
“The Supreme Council has unanimously decided that the cooperation with PAS can be formalised with the signing of a charter.
“The Umno and PAS secretary-generals will make a joint statement to inform the public about the date and signing of the agreement between Umno and PAS,” said the Bagan Datoh MP.
He added that Umno respected PAS’s pledge and commitment to the charter.
The Supreme Council had also given Zahid full authority to negotiate for Umno with any other party in the PAS-Umno cooperation.
“If there are parties outside Umno-PAS that want to invite us to discuss political cooperation, only the president can represent Umno,” said Zahid.
By G Vinod