Close to 30 DAP MPs visited the Umno headquarters at Menara Dato Onn earlier this week, in what one leader described as a historic first for both parties.
Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin said the MPs were there for a briefing on technical and vocational education and training (TVET), hosted by deputy prime minister and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid also chairs the national TVET council.
“It marked the first time that such a large group of DAP MPs visited Umno’s headquarters, a sign of maturity and cooperation within the unity government,” Chan said in a Facebook post.
“The Madani government is not perfect. But we are serious in discharging our responsibilities.
“We are working to overcome ideological and party differences for the sake of national progress. Nation-building requires unity, not uniformity, and that’s the spirit we’re committed to.”
The DAP leaders who attended the briefing included the party’s secretary-general Loke Siew Fook, adviser Lim Guan Eng, and vice-chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
Also present were Umno vice-president Johari Ghani and secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Umno played a key role in the formation of the unity government, joining hands with its former archenemy, DAP, in the aftermath of the 2022 general election.
In June 2023, Loke joined Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at Menara Dato Onn to attend that year’s Umno general assembly, marking the first time that a DAP leader had attended the annual event.
Zahid, Asyraf and Barisan Nasional secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir attended DAP’s national convention several months later.
