Umno loyal friend to Harapan, unlike Bersatu, says Amanah

MAHKOTA BY-ELECTION | Umno has proven itself to be a loyal friend unlike Pakatan Harapan’s previous ally Bersatu, said Amanah communication director Khalid Abdul Samad.

The former federal territories minister tonight admitted that there may be Harapan supporters who were still not fully comfortable with BN.

However, Harapan is grateful to BN for opting to form the government with it, instead of going with Perikatan Nasional, he added.

“It has been 22 months. Umno has not betrayed us.

“If we were with PN now, in 22 months they would have wavered.

“But for now, Umno has proven to be loyal friends,” he told a ceramah at Kampung Masjid Lama in Kluang.

Khalid (above) was referring to the infamous Sheraton Move which occurred in February 2020, when the Harapan-led government collapsed after Bersatu left the coalition and formed a new pact called PN with PAS, with BN cooperating with them.

‘Party of traitors’

Khalid said that BN’s cooperation with PN at the time had resulted in a prime ministerial role for Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“During the time (BN was with) PN, Umno held the prime minister’s post.

“They (Umno) knew that being with Harapan, the party won’t get to hold the post,” he said.

He also claimed that Bersatu had orchestrated the Sheraton move so that party president Muhyiddin Yassin could become the prime minister.

“PN, especially Bersatu, is a party of traitors. We formed the government before, and then 22 months in, we were betrayed.

“He (Muhyiddin) wanted to become the prime minister,” he said.

He went on to thank Umno and BN for agreeing to cooperate with Harapan, adding that the former rivals had placed the country’s interests above its own.

Khalid was campaigning for the coalition government’s candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah in the Mahkota by-election.

Syed Hussien will face PN’s Mohd Haizan Jaafar in a straight fight for the Johor state seat tomorrow.

The by-election was called following the death of the incumbent from Umno, Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, on Aug 2.

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