PETALING JAYA: Najib Razak said tonight that Umno should be willing to work with Anwar Ibrahim to form a government until the next general election – on condition that Anwar did not rope in the DAP.
Najib, a former Umno president, said his proposal for Umno to work with Anwar was an option the party could consider if his first preference, for a snap general election, was rejected by the ruling Perikatan Nasional coalition.
Umno members have recently expressed discontent with their position in the coalition government, saying the party deserved a greater say as the party with most seats.
The unhappiness led to suggestions that Umno might withdraw support for the PPBM-led coalition.
Najib said he was also open to continuing Umno support for the PN government till the next general election, but on condition that Umno and Barisan Nasional are given significant roles, especially over the economy.
He said in a Facebook posting tonight that if Umno could work with Muhyiddin Yassin and Azmin Ali of PPBM to form a new government in March “even though at that time PPBM was an enemy who had wooed many of our MPs, why can’t we negotiate a collaboration, with conditions attached, with Anwar until the 15th general election?”
Najib said he had been under stress “several times” at the Barisan Nasional meeting earlier today, following news reports that he was urging Umno MPs to back Anwar.
Najib said the news report was “not so accurate”.
He said PPBM currently “monopolises” several top positions in the government, including the prime ministership, the economics ministry, and the Economic Action Council where there are no representatives from Umno, PAS and other parties.
A stronger role for Umno in finance and economics would “allow us to draw plans to aid and stimulate the economy more effectively, including extending the moratorium and expediting special aid to Sabah which was badly impacted (by the Covid-19 pandemic),”
Najib said he has time and again expressed disappointment with the PN government’s management of the pandemic, especially when it came to the prison clusters which reported the highest number of cases in the third Covid-19 wave.
He said Umno was still being blamed for the surge despite not being in charge. “If we are given a huger role we can help overcome this weakness.”
“These were among the proposals I made at the meeting today. I’ll leave it to the party to review and discuss these suggestions.”
