BN has not held negotiations with GPS to form govt with PN - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) has not held discussions with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) on forming a Federal Government with Perikatan Nasional (PN), said BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said in a statement today that BN had not conducted negotiations with PN for that purpose.

Ahmad Zahid was commenting on the statement issued by GPS chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also the Premier of Sarawak, who said that BN had agreed to form a pact with PN and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to form the Federal Government.

Meanwhile, he said all BN candidates who had won seats in the 15th General Election (GE15) had signed a statutory declaration and given him the mandate to determine any political pacts in the establishment of the government.

"Members of Parliament who violate the party's instructions will result in the disqualification of their membership including the parliamentary seat, in line with the law prohibiting members of the Dewan Rakyat from hopping parties as stipulated under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution," he said.

No single party or coalition won a simple majority in GE15, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) winning 82 seats, PN (73), Barisan Nasional (30), GPS (22), GRS (six), Parti Warisan (three), Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) one each, and independents, two seats.

The simple majority to form the Federal Government is 112 seats.

-- BERNAMA