Umno won’t ‘betray anyone’ or seek new PM before next general election, says Asyraf Wajdi

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — The secretary-general of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Datuk Seri Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, has stated that the party will not seek to change the Prime Minister or create a new government before the next general election is announced. Asyraf Wajdi affirmed Umno's dedication to political stability, stating they have not initiated talks for the forthcoming election.

He clarified that discussions would commence only after the dissolution of Parliament, similar to the situation following state legislative elections in Johor and Negri Sembilan.

The remarks came in response to comments made by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had seemingly questioned Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's earlier pledge to regulate petrol prices swiftly and the subsequent change of mind on the Budi95 fuel subsidy quota. Despite Umno being part of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in the federal government, it collaborates with the Islamist party PAS in Negri Sembilan.

Rumours of Umno deepening ties with PAS grew after PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and several other senior leaders attended the Umno General Assembly.

Asyraf Wajdi dismissed suggestions that Umno would be betraying anyone by forming political alliances with other parties. He emphasized that the unity government agreement only applies until the next election, after which individual parties can decide their future directions. Wajdi stated, "I don’t expect even Sabah and Sarawak to want to be told how they should cooperate."