KUALA LUMPUR: The call by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for Malays to unite under his party has gained mixed reaction from the opposition camp.
While two former Umno leaders believe the invitation was worth considering, the current leadership has rejected the idea altogether.
Former party vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today said he believed the invitation by Mahathir for Malays to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia should be seriously considered, echoing a similar call by ex-Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
However, current Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed any pact that counts DAP as a partner.
Ahmad Zahid said the DAP stand of “Malaysia for all Malaysians” is unacceptable for the opposition coalition.
“In the interest of Malay and Muslim unity, we have to reject Mahathir’s offer,“ he told reporters at Parliament today.
He said Umno and Barisan Nasional were open to the reality of the current political scenario but it could not accept DAP’s influence in the current government.
“This is our official stand,“ he added.
Meanwhile Hishammuddin, who is MP for Sembrong, told reporters that Umno should “seriously consider” Mahathir’s invitation. However, he stopped short of saying if he would take up the offer.
In expressing his support, Hishammuddin said any move to solidify the Malay ummah (Malay-Muslim community) and to reduce politicking should be given serious thought, particularly when it concerned the rakyat’s interests.
“I would like to remind all quarters, especially with regards to Malay unity, that we must not be proud and arrogant, because the rakyat is watching us,“ he said.
“At the end of the day, it is the interest of the public and the country that is at stake,“ he added. “So any effort to unite the ummah and move forward must be taken into account.”
Hishammuddin pointed out that not a single party was in a strong enough position now to dominate the political landscape by itself.
Last week, Khairy said Umno should not dismissed the call to forge Malay unity.
However, he made it clear that his heart is still with Umno.
“I’m quite happy where I am, thank you,“ he said today.
He was responding to an invitation from Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for him to join the party.
Syed Saddiq, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, took to Twitter on Sunday to urge Khairy to abandon the far-right view growing within the Umno-PAS pact.
“As Umno-PAS steer further to the right, it’s time for Bersatu to position itself as the centrist party for the Malays,“ he added.
“I would like to invite Khairy to join Bersatu. Join the likes of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
“Together, we can move Malaysia forward,“ he had said.
Mahathir had, on July 5, called on all Malay parties, including Umno, to join Bersatu to unite the Malays. He said that with more parties representing the community, it would reduce their potential to win elections.
“When our group is big, we become strong, but if we split we become weak,“ he stressed.
Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu said Mahathir’s invitation was a “logical” move to ensure Pakatan Harapan remained strong.
