KUALA LUMPUR (July 8): 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 Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby today, 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.

Ahmad Zahid then left before taking any further questions. 

Ahmad Zahid was responding to Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's open call to all Malay political parties on 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 in Parliament lobby today that he would be sticking 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 to not 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 consideration in the interest of their community, and not to let pride dictate matters. 

When asked for his comment 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 PH officials meet.