The Malaysian Insight

UMNO leaders did not discuss working with Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Bersatu to change the political alignment in Putrajaya in their meeting today, said Supreme Council member Bung Mokhtar Radin.

“We did not discuss any cooperation with Dr Mahathir. We only discussed how to strengthen our ties with PAS through Muafakat Nasional,” said the Sabah Umno chief after the party’s supreme council meeting.

He said the matter of forging political cooperation with Dr Mahathir was not raised in the four-hour meeting.

“We merely discussed how to strengthen Muafakat Nasional to face the 15th general election,” he said.

Earlier this week, Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Adam released an audio recording claiming that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had suggested that Umno needed to back its new ally PAS in supporting Dr Mahathir through a new political alignment to be called Pakatan Nasional.

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said Zahid briefed the Supreme Council members on the national political landscape, including outlining numerous political scenarios that could take shape and how they should be managed in conjunction with the party’s ties with PAS via Muakafat Nasional.

“The supreme council members were satisfied with the president’s explanation and shared with him their thoughts for his further action,” he said in a statement.

He said the party was also disappointed in the Pakatan Harapan government for its failure to protect the welfare of the Malays, Islam and the people in general.

Meanwhile, the party has appointed Zulhasnan Rafique as the new chairman of the discipline board.

The former ambassador to the US replaces Mohamed Apandi Ali, who stepped down last month.

Apandi, the former attorney-general, resigned citing interference from party leadership in his disciplinary probe into former party vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein. – February 7, 2020.