UMNO supports being part of non PN-led unity govt - Ahmad Maslan

In a statement, he said this was decided in an UMNO special Supreme Council meeting, chaired by party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, here last night.

He said the Supreme Council has unanimously decided to support and uphold the proposal of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for Barisan Nasional (BN) to consider participating in a Unity Government.

".... (this is) to ensure that a stable and prosperous government can be formed," he said in the statement issued after the three-hour meeting held at the party headquarters in Menara Dato Onn here.

However, that government must not be led by PN, he added.

Ahmad also said that the Supreme Council had agreed for all of its party representatives who won parliamentary seats in the just concluded 15th general election (GE15) to comply with and accept any form of a Unity Government or any other forms of a government that has been proposed by His Majesty.

According to Ahmad, the UMNO Supreme Council meeting also strengthened support for Ahmad Zahid to remain as BN chairman and unanimously backed him as UMNO president.

The Council also took note of and reviewed in detail both discussions carried out by the BN negotiation committee with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and PN, he said.

He also stated that the 2022 UMNO general assembly would be held on Dec 21-24.

In the recent GE15, BN only won 30 parliamentary seats, the worst ever in its history, while PH captured 82 seats, PN (73), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (23), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (six), Parti Warisan (three), Independent (two) while Parti Bangsa Malaysia and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat won one seat each.

The GE15 result meant no one party nor political bloc managed to get a majority, resulting in a hung Parliament.

The Special Meeting of the Malay Rulers will be held later today to discuss the formation of the new government.