Bersatu wants to join Muafakat Nasional - Zahid Hamidi

Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Prime Minister, expressed this intention at his meeting with Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament at Parliament Building yesterday afternoon, said Ahmad Zahid.

“Bersatu’s wish will be discussed with PAS,” the UMNO president said in a statement.

He said the Muafakat Nasional Main Committee had earlier decided that UMNO and PAS would give priority to strengthening Muafakat Nasional.

“I will leave it to the Muafakat Nasional Main Committee to consider if Bersatu’s desire can further strengthen Muafakat Nasional in the interests of the people and country,” he added

Ahmad Zahid said UMNO had decided not to join Perikatan Nasional but to support the Perikatan Nasional government based on the support of UMNO and BN MPs and state assemblymen in the formation of the federal government and several state governments.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at the Court Complex compound here, Ahmad Zahid said: “This is not an announcement to pull out from Perikatan Nasional; my decision here is to announce that we are not going to participate in the formation of Perikatan Nasional.”

“Our decision is, we are not going to be a component member in Perikatan Nasional if Perikatan Nasional were to be registered,” he said.

He said this was decided by the UMNO Supreme Council on July 24.

He was also asked if UMNO would contest on the Muafakat Nasional ticket in view that the Sabah State Legislative Assembly has been dissolved.

He said: “MN (Muafakat Nasional) does not exist in Sabah but we have BN and Sabah UMNO, where Sabah UMNO has been given autonomy. So, any proposal I would have to discuss with the Sabah UMNO leadership, Tan Sri Musa Aman and our friends leading political parties in Sabah who are with BN.”