BAGAN DATUK:UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) have decided to contest in all parliamentary and state seats they won in the 14th general election (GE14).

UMNO president, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also BN chairman said the UMNO Supreme Council (MT) has also decided that all UMNO and BN candidates contesting in the 15th general election (GE15) would be using the BN symbol.

"UMNO MT has decided that all parliamentary and state UMNO and BN seats won in GE14 should be taken back by us to contest. These are UMNO seats, UMNO is claiming them back.

"We will not be using the symbol of other party. It is up to the other parties to use their own symbols or the symbol of their new friends but UMNO and BN will remain as the opponent," he said when opening the Bagan Datuk UMNO division delegates' meeting here today.

According to Ahmad Zahid, after GE14, 16 UMNO MPs had left the party which resulted in the party having only 38 seats in Dewan Rakyat, without taking into consideration the vacant seat for Gerik following the death of its incumbent Datuk Hasbullah Osman in November.

Apart from that, Ahmad Zahid who is also Bagan Datuk MP stressed that UMNO and BN has never joined Perikatan Nasional (PN), and the support rendered to the present government was the support from MPs only.

"The move to sign a PN government charter in May was only as an indication of support for the PN government, not support for the registration of PN , in fact there was no new charter signed, and it is not as viralled that I as UMNO president and BN chairman had signed the new charter," he said.

While stressing that the PN Presidential Council was created to ensure check and balance on PN government policies, Ahmad Zahid also reminded UMNO members at all levels to issued statements in line with the party leadership.

"Echo the voice of the head who is steadfast in looking after UMNO. Regardless of whether we are with each other at the grassroots, or holding post at branch, division, state or even at national levels, we must put our place in UMNO not with others...the voice of UMNO is our voice, not for others," he said.

-- BERNAMA