GEORGE TOWN: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi responded to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's unity-themed pantun with a four-line poem of his own.
Sharing his four verses, the Barisan Nasional chairman recited the poem from his mobile phone during a press conference after the 61st Meeting between the Rural and Regional Development Minister and Rural Exco members at Bahang Bay Hotel in Penang on Thursday (July 23).
"Mendaki ke Gunung Tahan, Jatuh ke gaung, temui maut, Bumbung tercabut, mampu ditahan, Jika ribut diterbang ke laut," he read.
He told reporters it was composed shortly after Anwar's post.
Zahid said he wrote it at 9.04pm after seeing news reports of the prime minister's posting.
On Wednesday (July 22), Anwar shared a message on unity and consensus, posting a four-line Malay pantun underscoring the value of friendship and solidarity.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Anwar wrote, "Burung merbah terbang sekawan, Guruh berdentum membelah awan, Berbeza langkah, jangan putus kawan, Selagi muafakat, kita sehaluan."
The post was accompanied by the evergreen 1980s hit song *Madu dan Racun*.
