PETALING JAYA: Umno and PAS presidents invited Prime Minister and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to join Muafakat Nasional on Aug 13, states a letter signed by both presidents.
The letter, printed on a Muafakat Nasional letterhead and sighted by The Star, stated Ahmad Zahid and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang both welcomed Bersatu to join Muafakat.
A tweet from Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Friday (Aug 21) confirmed that he had signed the invitation letter after a decision was reached in a meeting jointly chaired by Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and PAS president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
The letter, which was verified by party sources, strengthens Bersatu leaders' claims that it was Umno and PAS that invited the party to join the loose alliance.
Umno deputy president Mohamad had stated on Aug 19 that Umno grassroots were generally not supportive of having Bersatu in Muafakat Nasional as the general feedback he received showed that they were not keen.
On Aug 15, Muhyiddin announced that Bersatu would be joining Muafakat Nasional.
Zahid then stated that he would leave it to the alliance committee to decide on Bersatu's participation.
However, later on the very same day, at the Slim by-election campaign, Zahid told an Umno crowd that Bersatu must "prove that it is sincere about joining Muafakat Nasional".
