KUALA LUMPUR: Any form of political cooperation involving Umno must embrace political moderation and the middle ground to ensure the country’s stability, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno president said the party would also open itself to options to work with any political faction that accepts its stand on the Malays and Islam as its core struggle.
Umno, he said, must also set a target for parliamentary seats so that the party can form the government after GE16.
“This is what we must bear in mind as we have new political dynamics and realities.
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“Whatever move we make, the country’s interests and the wellbeing of the people will be among certain pre-conditions on which we will not compromise,” he said in his presidential address at the opening of the Umno general assembly here on Friday (Aug 23).
He said these considerations were necessary, given that no single party or coalition had the simple majority to form a government after GE15 in November 2022.
“Some believe this will also be the scenario after GE16. As a party, it is not an easy path for Umno.
“Nevertheless, it will open the opportunity for all parties to find common ground in the name of the country’s interests.
“Cooperation among parties to set up a government is seen as the result of this changing political landscape,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid said this was why it was important for Umno to remain dominant so that it would have the edge in the changing political scene.
“For that, we must be dominant in terms of the number of seats and see that parliamentary and state seats we lost are regained.
“We must be dominant during negotiations should the situation require power sharing. Also, we must be dominant so that we can defend Islam, the Malays and bumiputras,” he added.
