Don't let apology demand create rift in unity govt, Tok Mat tells Umno Youth

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said today he hopes that the apology demanded by his party's Youth chief will not divide the federal coalition government with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The politician also known as Tok Mat said he respects DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke’s opinion against issuing such an apology and for all parties involved to move on towards the future,.

“I really think it’s a good thing but if Anthony said to move on then it is up to them. That’s their stand,” he said at the sidelines of the Umno General Assembly 2023, referring to Loke.

“But I don’t want this apology issue to create a crack in the unity government.”

Mohamad had earlier said it would be good for DAP to issue an apology to Umno, and the wing had not been wrong to make the demand.

“If DAP can apologise to the people of Sarawak and its government, why not to us? It'll make us closer as friends,” he said, referring to the components in the federal coalition.

On June 8, In a fiery policy speech during the Umno General Assembly 2023, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh made a controversial demand for enemy-turned-ally DAP to apologise to the party for its past attacks on them.

Dr Akmal had demanded DAP apologise to Umno purportedly for its past mistakes, and to prove its sincerity to the coalition government led by PKR’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which comprises Pakatan Harapan component parties and the Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and Gabungan Bersatu Sabah.

Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi quickly dismissed the need for DAP to apologise as the matter does not need to be raised again by his party.

Later that day, Dr Akmal remained defiant and still stood with his demand.

Last night, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was reported by Malaysiakini that he backed Umno Youth's controversial demand for enemy-turned-ally DAP to apologise to the party for its past attacks on them.

Yesterday, Loke told Umno Youth wing to heed its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's call to forget the two parties’ hostile past for the sake of the nation.