Umno backs joining 'non-PN led' unity government

The Umno supreme council has decided that BN should support and join a federal government that is not led by Perikatan Nasional.

The move, if supported by the BN supreme council, all but ensures a Pakatan Harapan-BN unity government. However, the wording of Umno’s announcement also opens the possibility of a BN-led government together with PN.

It is learnt that the BN supreme council meeting is expected to be held on Thursday morning before a decision is presented to BN’s 30 newly elected MPs.

The move was announced by Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan (above) today after an Umno supreme council meeting that lasted about five hours.

“The supreme council unanimously supports and respects the decree of Yang di-Pertuan Agong for BN to support and take part in a unity government that is not led by PN, to ensure the establishment of a stable and prosperous government.

“The supreme council also agreed that all party representatives who won parliamentary seats in the 15th general election should follow and accept any form of a unity government or other forms of government that decreed by the Agong,” he said in a statement.

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Earlier, BN had appointed a seven-member negotiating team led by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to hold talks with Harapan and PN.

Ahmad said the Umno supreme council arrived at its decision today after perusing details of negotiations with both sides.

The BN supreme council had previously decided to remain neutral and abstained from supporting either Harapan or PN to form a new federal government following the election.

However, it appeared to have backed down from its stance after being decreed by the king to help form a unity government.

Harapan has the largest number of seats in the Dewan Rakyat (82 seats), followed by PN (73).

Regardless of the permutations, either coalition will require BN's participation (30 seats) to reach a simple majority in the august House and form a government.

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