Umno to leave Perikatan and to push for GE15 before end of March 2021

(NST) – Umno will raise a motion to sever ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in the 15th General Election (GE15), during its annual general assembly on Jan 31.

Party information chief Shahril Hamdan in a statement tonight said among other motions that would be raised include to strengthen its relations with Pas through the Muafakat Nasional pact, and to push for GE15 before the end of the first quarter of this year.

“The meeting has gone through all the motions proposed by the 189 divisions nationwide.

“The Supreme Council meeting has agreed to raise these motions during the Umno General Assembly on Jan 31 to be debated and decided, based on the party’s constitution,” he said in a statement after the party’s Supreme Council meeting at the Umno headquarters, here, tonight.

On Oct 27 last year, Umno had decided to continue supporting the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Government, urging the pact to hold fast to its principles of cooperation.

The party also reiterated its stand to not work with PKR or DAP.

In the past, the party’s political bureau had considered withdrawing its support for PN, saying that it would lay out new conditions should both sides proceed with their political cooperation.

Shahril also said the meeting took note of the change in the Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general post, traditionally held by the Umno secretary-general.

He said this matter had received verbal agreements from BN component party presidents, and would be validated during its supreme council meeting in the near future.

Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who had held the position as BN secretary-general for the past 10 months was removed from the post on Tuesday.

He was replaced by Pontian member of Parliament Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.