PKR-Umno partnership? Rejecting Bersatu doesn’t mean we must cooperate with others, says Umno info chief

PETALING JAYA: Umno is strongly against any cooperation with PKR or DAP despite its troubled ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), says party information chief Shahril Hamdan (pic).

"Rejecting cooperation with Bersatu does not mean we must cooperate with others," he said in a statement Tuesday (March 16).

Shahril said this ahead of a press conference scheduled to be held by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday amid talk of arch-foes PKR and Umno collaborating in the 15th General Election.

"If Anwar still wants to insinuate that apparently there are negotiations and official political cooperation with Umno, that is his right to speak, just like how he could not stop claiming that he has the majority in Parliament," he added.

According to Shahril, top Umno leaders had declared that the party will never cooperate with PKR or DAP during the 2019 Umno General Assembly.

Shahril said Umno members should focus on strengthening the party and ensure that they have better "offers and visions" for Malaysians compared to its political opponents.

"We should not dance according to the rhythm of others and instead, we should give full focus in strengthening the party from within, aside from working hard in winning the people's confidence, ” he added.

Shahril said that without the support of the people, Umno would not have been the dominant party in the country at present.

Anwar is scheduled to hold a 4.30pm press conference, where sources have indicated that the Opposition leader might announce the cooperation between PKR and Umno.

On Sunday (March 14), Anwar also confirmed to Mingguan Malaysia that there have been informal discussions between Umno and PKR.

The press conference is set to be held at Eastin Hotel in Petaling Jaya and it will be aired live on Facebook.