According to Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, PAS should be grateful to Umno for bringing it into the Perikatan Nasional government in 2020. He stated that Umno, with its 68 parliamentary seats, led Barisan Nasional to form the Perikatan government under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, when PAS only had 18 MPs.
Deputy Prime Minister Zahid was responding to a statement by PAS vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad on Dec 8, in which Idris claimed that Umno should be thankful to Perikatan counterpart Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia for helping Umno return to power in 2020.
Zahid made these remarks to the media after officiating the Zetrix and Beitou launch of digital ID and driver’s licence services on blockchain, a joint venture between MY EG Services Berhad of Malaysia and China’s state-owned Guangxi Beitou Innovation Technology Investment Group Co Ltd on Dec 9.
“Idris does not seem to understand the role that Umno played in bringing PAS into the government,” Zahid said. “At that time, PAS was also part of the opposition. The formation of the then Perikatan Nasional in 2020 came about because of the significant contributions of Umno and Barisan MPs.”
“PAS was part of the opposition, whereas Umno and other Barisan Nasional parties held 68 parliamentary seats combined,” Zahid noted. “Therefore, it is PAS that should be grateful to Umno, not the other way around.”
Recent rifts between Umno and PAS leaders have led to accusations from both sides regarding unfulfilled promises, resulting in the breakdown of the Muafakat Nasional alliance.
In February 2020, the Sheraton Move led to the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government and the resignation of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad after 22 months in power, following a coalition of PKR MPs and Bersatu teaming up with Barisan Nasional MPs to form a new government.
