KUALA LUMPUR: Any cooperation with other political parties for upcoming elections must be based on trust and sincerity, not intimidation or threats, says Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
The Umno secretary-general also said all Umno state chiefs can negotiate and discuss cooperation with other political parties for coming elections.
“Negotiations for cooperation here must be based on trust and sincerity, and not intimidation or threats,” he said after the Umno supreme council meeting here on Friday (Aug 28).
On another matter, he said the rule of law must always be respected and upheld, and that no one can be assumed guilty even before being charged, put on trial or convicted by the court.
“Any actions to shame or humiliate others, including through creating perceptions that those remanded for investigations are already guilty, oppose the principles of justice and are against the presumption of innocence,” he said.
Umno, he said, would never defend any wrongdoing by any quarters, including those by party members or leaders.
“They must be brought to justice through the legal process,” he said.
Asyraf Wajdi added that PAS leaders will be officially invited to attend Umno’s annual general assembly this year as a sign of reciprocating the invite extended to Umno leaders for PAS’ Muktamar.
He also said Umno took into account empirical study findings by various agencies and academic researchers that point towards the Malays hoping for the realisation of Ummah unity as the foundation of Malaysia’s political stability.
Separately, he said Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim has also been appointed as an Umno supreme council member.
