KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — A faction comprising loyalists of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for an end to the conflict within Barisan Nasional (BN) and asked all coalition members to abide by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree to form a unity government.
The faction’s spokesman Datuk Ramalan Yunus said that only a minority who had personal interests within the party had resisted Zahid’s call to obey Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s wishes.
“We ordinary members abide by the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the formation of a unity government. Our struggle remains the same, to fight for our country, race and religion.
“Only those who have vested interests are going against the president,” he claimed today, after starting the press conference at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur with chants of “Hidup Tuanku!” (Long live the King).
Banners of “Hidup president, Hidup BN,” (long live the president, long live BN) were also held aloft by the group of approximately 60 Umno members.
As for yesterday’s Umno supreme council decision to abide by the Agong’s decree, the group spokesman also stressed that the party must move en bloc and join the unity government.
Yesterday, it was reported that Umno’s Sungai Besar division leader Datuk Jamal Yunos had called for BN to be dissolved after a letter of other component parties calling for Zahid’s resignation made the rounds on social media.
Last night, following the conclusion of an Umno supreme council meeting, secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan issued a statement saying that the party is willing to join a unity government that is not led by Perikatan Nasional (PN).
