Zahid: Umno shouldn't be dragged into PM candidate debate
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today reminded his party not to be dragged into the debate over who should be the Perikatan Nasional (PN) prime ministerial candidate in the 15th general election.
This was after Umno supreme council member Annuar Musa announced that Umno and PAS have in principle agreed for Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to...
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today reminded his party not to be dragged into the debate over who should be the Perikatan Nasional (PN) prime ministerial candidate in the 15th general election.
This was after Umno supreme council member Annuar Musa announced that Umno and PAS have in principle agreed for Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to become PN's prime ministerial candidate in the next general election, prompting protest from some Umno leaders.
"Umno should not be dragged into the polemics about the prime ministerial candidate.
"The focus should be on taking care of the people's welfare and interest," Zahid said in a statement today.
Zahid said the focus now is on the Dewan Rakyat sitting which will begin on July 13.
"Umno is aware of efforts to threaten the prime minister's position by those who covet the position.
"Umno and BN MPs have been directed to defend the PN government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin from being threatened by the opposition," he said.
He added that Umno should focus on helping people to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
"All BN ministers and deputy ministers have been instructed to act through their ministries to revive the economy and generate job opportunities, particularly for those impacted by Covid-19," he said.
The Harapan government, which came into power in the 2018 general election, collapsed in late February after Muhyiddin pulled his party out of the coalition government.
Muhyiddin was sworn in as the new prime minister on March 1 after Mahathir refused to lead a new coalition he put together, comprising Bersatu, PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and STAR.
Muhyiddin's rival, disputed Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad has warned that Bersatu would be devastated in the 15th general election under PN due to overlaps in the electoral constituency with Umno and PAS.
Some Umno leaders believed Umno and PAS could win the next general election without having to make concessions to Bersatu.
However, Muhyiddin has been trying to formalise PN as a coalition and negotiating to share the parliamentary seats with component parties for the next general election.
So UMNO surrendered the PM post to Bersatu.
PN is always fine with whomever elected from their PN to be PM.
What is exactly taking care of people’s wealth?