Najib stays open, even as PR slams the door
Datuk Seri Najib Razak has left the door open should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties revive plans for a unity government.
PR leaders came out of their midday meeting today unanimously rejecting a unity government, and pledged to focus on taking over the federal government in the next general election.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also accused BN of “a clearly malicious and desperate attempt to compromise the integrity of the increasingly popular PR”, a claim that the prime minister refuted by stating that it was PAS who had initiated the proposal at its recent general assembly.
Umno has, however, been aggressively courting PAS since the muktamar, in an attempt to drive a wedge into the fledgling opposition alliance, which has struggled to resolve more progressive ideas with hardline Malay Muslim sentiments.
Najib, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, told reporters today that he accepted the decision of PR and explained that BN has merely been “open to something which may be beneficial to the country,” a stance which he said the ruling coalition would maintain.
“We maintain our stand that we will cooperate on anything that is good for the country even if it comes from the opposition,” said the Umno president.
“It came from PAS. They were the ones who talked about it and showed their desire to reach a common ground.
“That is where this talk of a unity government came from, not from us. When they spoke of it we accepted it positively with an open attitude to something which is beneficial,” he added.