Umno Expected To Decide On Bersatu Cooperation Tomorrow

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Umno is expected to decide on whether or not to work with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Bersatu tomorrow
Malaysiakini understands that Umno's political committee will meet in the morning whereas the supreme council will convene in the evening to reach a final stand
"If there is no opposition from the supreme council, then it looks like the cooperation will happen," said a high ranking Umno source aligned to party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
The plan is expected to meet resistance from those in former party president Najib Abdul Razak's faction such as supreme council member Lokman Adam

On Monday, Lokman (above, right) released an audio recording claiming that Zahid tried to convince party leaders on the need to work with Mahathir during a Jawatankuasa Perhimpunan Muafakat Nasional Umno meeting
Umno information chief Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, however, said Zahid merely proposed the idea for further discussion
Meanwhile, the source told Malaysiakini that Zahid also indicated to party leaders recently that the cooperation would be “implicit and not in the open.”The source further claimed that a senior confidante of Mahathir was acting as the middle person to broker this arrangement
Earlier, Malaysiakini reported that Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan cautioned the party against making a rushed decision on the political cooperation offered to them on the premise of protecting Islam and Malay interests
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had dodged the issue during a press conference last night, saying the question with regard to the Islamist party cooperating with Bersatu should be put to the latter
He also vowed that PAS would become part of the government through the front door, and in what appeared to be a swipe at Mahathir's designated successor PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, said there is a person who wanted to use the back door to become prime minister
Last September, Umno and PAS formalised their political alliance under the name Muafakat Nasional
Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya this morning, Mahathir downplayed the support from Umno and PAS, saying he expected them to back the government in Parliament on matters beneficial to the nation
Previously, Mahathir said he would remain in office until the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Kuala Lumpur in November
Although not setting a deadline for the transition, the 94-year-old leader affirmed that he would keep his promise to pass the baton to Anwar
Anwar, however, seems to have fractured support in Pakatan Harapan, as those loyal to his estranged deputy Azmin Ali, have also lent their support to the call for Mahathir to serve out his full term
This stand was also endorsed by Hadi and several Bersatu leaders
Previously, it was alleged that Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein was attempting to form a new government with certain factions within Harapan
However, the former Umno vice-president denied this. - Mkini

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