KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — As the clock ticks down to the formation of a federal government, Umno’s Khairy Jamaluddin stressed that negotiations to form a new administration in Putrajaya should not involve Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said that Zahid, who is the Umno president, no longer has the moral legitimacy to helm the Malay nationalist party and reiterated calls for the latter to resign.
“Negotiations on the formation of a new government should not involve Ahmad Zahid. He no longer has the moral legitimacy as president of Umno and must step down immediately.
“He may be president in name, but he has no moral authority left to decide on behalf of Umno,” Khairy said in a social media post.
Previously, the former Rembau MP, together with other Umno veterans, had called for Zahid to step down as the president of the party.
This happened amid rumours of Barisan Nasional (BN) reportedly refusing to cooperate with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and considering a unity government with long-time rival coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) instead.
Earlier today, it was reported that all BN MPs had a meeting at the party’s headquarters amid final rounds of discussion whether to form government with either PH or PN.
Istana Negara issued an extension yesterday to a deadline requiring coalitions to send one name before 2pm today on the person that they support as the country’s 10th prime minister.
