KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reminded those planning to leave Barisan Nasional to come back after they have finished "moping", as they are all part of one family.
In his policy speech at the party's general assembly on Friday (Jan 16), he called for reconciliation.
"There are those who want to leave Barisan. We are all Malaysians here.
"We are siblings... when you are done moping, let’s hug it out and stay in this big house," he gestured to component party leaders sitting in the front row of Dewan Merdeka at the World Trade Centre here.
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Ahmad Zahid, who is also Barisan chairman and Deputy Prime Minister, said Umno had not wavered from its "No Anwar (Ibrahim) no DAP" stand in the last general election.
He pointed out that Barisan contested GE15 on its own, but was called by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form a government with Pakatan Harapan.
Previously, both MIC and MCA mentioned the possibility of leaving Barisan, citing dissatisfaction with Ahmad Zahid’s leadership, particularly in forging cooperation with Pakatan to form the unity government after GE15.
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On Oct 17, Ahmad Zahid had said there was no compulsion for any component to stay or go, but he was confident that MIC's leadership would make a wise decision about which coalition it would join.
The coalition ruled Malaysia for 61 years from Independence until 2018, when it lost the 14th General Election.
