BN, PH TO BUILD STATE-FEDERAL ALLIANCE FOR SABAH POLLS - AHMAD ZAHID

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- The alliance of parties in the MADANI Government, particularly Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), in facing the 17th Sabah state election must be coupled with cooperation between federal and state-level parties, said BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO president, said this is because BN has no intention of going solo in the next Sabah state election.

“BN and PH are not just a simple ‘plus’; this is ‘plus, plus, plus’, which reflects our openness (to collaborate with Sabah parties). Clearly, there will be no peninsula- or Sabah-based parties going it alone,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, told reporters this after officiating at the 79th UMNO Day celebration and the UMNO Patriotic School (SPU) convocation at the World Trade Centre here today.

He said such collaboration is essential to ensure that development plans for Sabah can be continued if the coalition secures victory in the state election.

On May 9, PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Unity Government Secretariat chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki announced in a joint statement that PH and BN had agreed to work together in facing the next Sabah state election.

Ahmad Zahid also advised all members of parties in the MADANI Government not to raise issues surrounding seat allocations in any state elections

“Don’t be led by emotions or individual perspectives when analysing the situation. Matters like seat distribution should be left to the top leadership. We at the top level frequently meet and hold discussions, but this matter has not even been raised, so there’s no need to bring it up.

“I think it’s too premature to indulge in polemics in this matter,” he said.

He was responding to remarks by Amanah Youth exco member Fadhli Umar Aminolhuda, who criticised UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for rejecting the proposed 14:14 seat-sharing formula between PH and BN for the next Melaka state election.

-- BERNAMA