KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed suggestions of cracks within Barisan Nasional (BN), insisting the coalition remains united ahead of the next general election.
He said that despite differing opinions among component parties, Umno, MCA and MIC continue to work together within BN‘s decision-making framework.
“We also done our research, the grassroot members do not want to leave BN, but certain figures perhaps need ‘toys’, so when they no longer get ‘toys,’ then they stamp their feet on the floor,” Ahmad Zahid told Mingguan Malaysia.
He likened internal disagreements to family disputes, saying they do not undermine the coalition’s core unity.
Ahmad Zahid disclosed that Umno regularly engages MCA and MIC leaders, meeting up to three times a week to ensure continuous dialogue.
Any party wishing to make independent decisions must first inform the BN supreme council before acting, he added.
Ahmad Zahid acknowledged that some MCA and MIC leaders have expressed frustration over limited representation in the National Unity Government, but insisted that the parties remain committed to BN’s long-term vision.
“Every party feels disappointed when not all requests are fulfilled, but that is the nature of coalition politics,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said the coalition’s strength lies in its ability to debate internally but stand united once a collective decision is made.
Tracing BN’s origins back to the post-1969 transformation of the Alliance, he described the coalition’s unity as a legacy built on compromise and shared purpose.
“The uniqueness of BN is that we may differ in opinion, but when we decide, we move as one,” Ahmad Zahid said.
BN ruled Malaysia continuously for 61 years from independence in 1957 until 2018, when it lost power for the first time in the May 9, 2018 general election (GE14).
In the 2022 general election (GE15), BN regained some parliamentary seats and formed an unlikely coalition government with former rival Pakatan Harapan and other parties outside Perikatan Nasional.
