KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is open to the proposal mooted by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for a grand coalition involving Malay-Islamic parties. Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said his party will consider the proposal once it receives full details on the grand coalition.
Muhyiddin, however, stressed that at the moment, Bersatu has yet to mandate any of its leaders to negotiate with Umno over the proposal.
“This matter has also never been discussed in Bersatu supreme leadership council meetings.
“Any cross-party discussions involving cooperation between Bersatu and Umno should be conducted through official party channels and attended by the top leadership of both parties.
“Such discussions should be transparent and take into account all factors, including the views of other Perikatan Nasional member parties and Umno’s position in the unity government,” he said in a statement today.
In his winding-up speech during the 79th Umno General Assembly yesterday, Zahid had proposed the formation of a grand coalition of Malay-Muslim parties aimed at strengthening unity among the Malays.
With few details provided, Zahid stressed that the initiative is not another version of Muafakat Nasional, while Umno information chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said clarified that it is not a political coalition.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
