Najib: Support for Anwar only if it doesn't involve DAP
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak admitted that he floated the idea that Umno should consider cooperation with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
However, he stressed that this is on condition that DAP is not involved.
The proposal was made at a meeting of BN lawmakers this afternoon, following the Perikatan Nasional government's failure to secure the proclamation of a state of emergency...
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak admitted that he floated the idea that Umno should consider cooperation with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
However, he stressed that this is on condition that DAP is not involved.
The proposal was made at a meeting of BN lawmakers this afternoon, following the Perikatan Nasional government's failure to secure the proclamation of a state of emergency.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, in rejecting the proclamation, also warned MPs to stop political manoeuvres that could threaten the government's stability.
In a Facebook post tonight, Najib said his first proposal was for Umno to push for a fixed date for the next general election after the Covid-19 pandemic is under control.
He said this was the right thing to do to restore stability, as PN has too slim a majority. PN only has a two-seat majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
"My second proposal is that if PN rejects the first proposal, then Umno should be open to negotiations with other political parties, including Anwar, if Umno is still not satisfied with how it is treated in the PN government after what happened in Sabah.
"However, my suggestion had a condition: That cooperation with Anwar should not involve DAP. This was emphasised several times in the meeting today," Najib added.
He asked, rhetorically, if Umno can work with Muhyiddin's Bersatu and former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, why can't there be conditional cooperation with Anwar until the next general election?
Among the conditions include letting Umno play a role in determining the country's financial and economic future, which he said was currently being monopolised by Bersatu through the posts of prime minister, finance minister, economic minister, and "most senior, senior minister" - an apparent jab at Azmin who is the international trade and industry minister.
He said Bersatu also monopolised the Economic Action Council without any representatives from Umno, PAS or other parties.
He added that with Umno playing a role in finance and economy, they could help craft more effective aid and stimulus plans, and hasten special aid to Sabah, which is in dire straits.
The Covid-19 pandemic is ravaging Sabah with 7,488 active cases as of today.
Najib also said he was also open to continuing conditional support for PN so that Umno and BN are given bigger roles in economic matters.
Umno's ties with Bersatu - which leads PN - began to sour after the latter muscled the former out of the Sabah chief minister position in last month's state election.
Umno felt they had been making too many concessions to Bersatu, with the latter not reciprocating.
