SHAH ALAM, Dec 24 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he forgave all who had cast him, Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in a negative light during campaigning for the 15th general election (GE15) recently.

Saying that it boiled down to his detractors not knowing him personally, he gave the example of DAP’s Klang MP V. Ganabatirau who attended the unity government luncheon at Sree Maha Kaliamman Temple here today because he wanted to apologise to Zahid for comments made previously.

"Personally, I forgive any individuals, figures, parties, or organisations who erred.

"I forgive them completely, but my advice is please don’t do it again,” he said during the event.

The Umno president said although BN won the least number of seats in the coalition’s history in GE15, God has shown that the current administration needed that figure of 30 to form the government.

"I know that during the GE15 campaign, various negative perceptions were shared with the people, to the extent that Umno and BN secured the fewest parliamentary seats in our history. But the 30 proved to be an important component to lift things up in the federation.

"We don’t want to come across as arrogant, but we have shown that without this 30, the 82 would not have been able to form the government,” he said.

Zahid said the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim demonstrated that the unity government works for all regardless of race or political ideology.

He said Anwar’s way of working influenced not only ministers, but also state governments, before citing the example of flood relief efforts that extended to everyone.

"The unity government of Malaysia espouses equality.

"I am his number two. Of course, he has shared with me his vision and philosophy of civility and pluralism in Malaysian society,” he said.