This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 9, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will not join forces with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), as it will not be in a coalition with DAP, said the former’s president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday, Ahmad Zahid (BN-Bagan Datuk) said Umno will not accept Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s invitation to join Bersatu.

“We cannot accept any offer from any political party or party leader that is in a group with DAP,” said Ahmad Zahid, adding DAP’s ideology of a “Malaysian Malaysia” could not be accepted by Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).

He then left before taking any further questions.

Ahmad Zahid was responding to Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir’s open call to all Malay political parties last Friday to come together under the Bersatu banner, in an effort to unite the Malays.

The prime minister’s move prompted Bersatu youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is also the youth and sports minister, to issue a personal invitation via Twitter yesterday to his predecessor, Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau), to join Bersatu.

But Khairy told reporters earlier at the Parliament lobby yesterday he would stick with Umno, adding “I am happy where I am”, before making a quick exit.

Former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (BN-Sembrong), meanwhile, when met by reporters, urged Umno’s top leaders not to dismiss Dr Mahathir’s open call out of hand if it can unite the Malays.

While he said the offer was issued to Umno at the party level, which means other parties in Pakatan Harapan would also have to approve the move, he urged his party colleagues to give the invitation some serious considerations in the interest of their community, and not to let pride dictate matters.

On Dr Mahathir’s invitation, PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PH-Port Dickson) said it was Bersatu’s decision to bring in other Malay parties and it was within Dr Mahathir’s right as Bersatu leader to extend the invitation.

Anwar added that the move could be a discussion point when top Pakatan officials meet.