Zahid: Umno will announce its stand over Perikatan ties

PUTRAJAYA: Umno will make known its stand on Perikatan Nasional amid talk that the party does not want this new alliance to be formalised.

Party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) said he is aware of such talk and will address the matter.

“I will issue a statement on the party’s official stand, ” he said when contacted for comments on the issue.

According to reports, the Umno supreme council meeting on May 4 had come to a unanimous decision not to formalise the alliance, but will continue to defend the Perikatan Federal Government which it is a part of.

Party sources said Umno believes there is no need for the party to formalise its new relations with Bersatu, at least for now, and that the stand was made “in the interest of the party”.

“Reject is too strong a word to describe the situation. We just feel that there is no need to formalise our relations which is working well right now.

“Furthermore, Perikatan, unlike Barisan Nasional which Umno is a coalition member, is not registered, ” said a source.

The source said that while Umno does not want Perikatan to be formalised for now, the party supports the Perikatan government and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s premiership.

“We are after all, part of the government, ” the same source pointed out.

It is understood that Bersatu had approached Umno to set up Perikatan.

Another source pointed out that it is difficult to be in partnership with Bersatu when its internal affairs have not been sorted out.

“There is Bersatu faction which backs Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and another with Muhyiddin. Bear in mind, Dr Mahathir, does not want to have anything to do with Umno.

“So the big question is how do we resolve this, ” said the same source.

Barisan, comprising Umno, MCA, MIC and PBRS as well as its Muafakat Nasional partner, PAS, had backed Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president as Prime Minister to end a political impasse back in February.

This spelled an end to Pakatan Harapan, which Bersatu was once part of the administration after 22 months in power.

Political analyst Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said politics should be set aside as the country grapples with the after effects of Covid-19, both socially and economically.

“People want to know what are the government’s plans to revive the economy after the pandemic. Everyone is affected economically and politics is the last thing people are interested in, ” he said.

Sivamurugan said before Perikatan can be formalised, a common ground must be found, pointing out that the collaboration will not be a success if parties do not share the same understanding, common ideology and agree to disagree.

“It is possible to work together in a loose collaboration. Perhaps when things in the country are better, these parties can fine tune their working relationship and have something that is more firm and solid, ” he said.