KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 17): Umno’s attempts to form a government with certain MPs in Pakatan Harapan but excluding those from DAP and Parti Amanah Negara were discountinued after Muafakat Nasional, according to Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan. 

Muafakat Nasional is a cooperation charter between Umno and PAS, aimed at unifying the Malay-Muslim community. Both parties signed the charter last month. 

“The idea (forming government without DAP and Amanah) was first mentioned by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, when he took over as Umno President. But currently, after Muafakat Nasional, we think that we are more prepared to form (the) government through the next general election,” he told pressmen at the Parliament lobby today.

Ahmad Maslan said if the PH government continues to be vague in terms of the succession plan for the Prime Minister, the topic of PH lawmakers cooperating with Umno to takeover Putrajaya will be brought up again by May next year. “Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the transition will happen in two years after PH forms the government, which is in May 2020. We will wait and see if the succession does not happen; I believe this topic will be brought up again.”

On Oct 15, PH had issued a statement urging Umno politician Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his fellow members to stop pushing to form a government without DAP and Amanah.

Hishammuddin has denied his involvement in any such campaign.