Not up to Umno alone to decide on early GE, says Muhyiddin

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said it is not up to Umno alone to decide on when the next general election (GE) will be held.

This comes after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday said the party’s top leadership will consider a proposal for an early GE submitted by its divisions.

However, Muhyiddin today pointed out that one of the terms of the agreement between Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Perikatan Nasional (PN) is that the latter must be involved in discussing when the next national polls will take place. 

“We hear talk out there that there might be a GE soon but actually, it is not just for Umno to decide.

“The PN coalition will also sit together to discuss with them when the time is right, that was one of the terms of agreement for our support, I can tell you that now,” the former premier said at Bersatu’s fourth general assembly at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) in Kuala Lumpur.

Support not unconditional 

Muhyiddin said Bersatu’s support for Ismail Sabri as prime minister is not unconditional and can be withdrawn if the agreed-upon terms are not fulfilled.

Ismail Sabri himself had said that Umno’s return to power was not because the party had the majority, but it was dependent on the support given by PN component parties and several other independent MPs, the former prime minister added.

Muhyiddin pointed out that the PN coalition has a larger number of MPs compared to BN.

“So I would like to remind certain quarters within Umno. Be a bit more respectful. Do not forget yourselves so easily,” he said, garnering applause from the delegates.

Muhyiddin acknowledged that the prime minister has the prerogative on when to call for the dissolution of Parliament and subsequently the general elections, with the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

However, he stressed that one of the conditions they had negotiated with Ismail Sabri in exchange for their support was for PN to be involved in the discussion and decision-making with regard to when the next general election will be held.

“When the time is right, we will discuss with the prime minister together.

“He will have to take Umno’s views into consideration because he is the vice-president (of Umno) but we, as a big component (of his support) should be given due respect to participate in making such a huge decision,” Muhyiddin said.

While PN and BN are working together in Ismail Sabri’s administration, BN has said it will go its own way during GE15. 

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