Dr Akmal maintains stance to sit out Melaka polls if BN, PH cooperate

KOTA BARU: Datuk Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh has reiterated his decision to not contest in the Melaka election if Barisan Nasional agrees to cooperate with Pakatan Harapan. As the Umno Youth chief, Dr Akmal firmly stated that he will not bow to the demands of the ruling coalition. His stance remains unwavering - "I will not cooperate with PH.

If BN and PH cooperate, I myself will not contest as a candidate." Dr Akmal emphasized that when fighting for a cause, one must abide by principles, and he will not compromise his principles for a position. This stance is not limited to his role as a state assemblyman, but also as the Umno Youth chief. Following the party's unanimous decision to stay in the unity government until the end of the current parliamentary term, Dr Akmal reiterated his position at a press conference.

He noted that his decision not to participate in the Melaka polls is not due to a lack of interest, but due to Umno's choice to remain in the government. While the Umno Youth Special Convention last year had expressed the desire for Umno to leave the government, this decision was not changed. Dr Akmal respects this decision, but is now firm in his stance - "My stance, then, now and forever, is that I will not contest if BN and PH cooperate in Melaka."

Earlier, Dr Akmal joined the Pas Youth Congress, where he expressed his support for the Pas Youth Council's efforts to promote Muslim unity. The congress was themed "Leading Unity," which closely aligns with Umno Youth's theme. Dr Akmal stated, "I think we all know that our agenda is to unite the ummah. In fact, the theme of Pas Youth Malaysia is Leading Unity, which is actually almost similar to that of Umno Youth."