People should reject opposition pact led by 'gila talak' leader - Ahmad Zahid

He also likened the pact to a ship with three captains, all with different directions, waiting to sink.

"The people have given them 22 years to top dog that leader. I think the time has come for the people to reject this pact which is led by a leader who has lost his followers," he said when speaking at the Leader With The People programme at the Kelantan Poverty Foundation Complex in Melor here today.

The event drew a crowd of about 20,000 people and among those present were UMNO Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who is also Ketereh Member of Parliament, Kelantan UMNO Liaison chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and his deputy, Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO vice-president, said the people should reject the leader who had been given 22 years to lead and his time was now over.

Now that his time is over, he should be a respected statesman, instead making claims that the present leadership is not right, he said.

"Every leader has his own era and the time is over. Do not meddle in politics, leave it to us," he added.

Ahmad Zahid said he hoped the people understood the principle of togetherness among the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties.

"BN is a political marriage which is permanent, not mutaah marriage," he added.