Tiada sebab menteri BN letak jawatan, Zahid jawab Gobind

In an address following the Joint Meeting of Deputy Prime Ministers and the Development and Security Security Task Force (JPKK) in Melaka, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi expressed his support for Anwar Ibrahim as the Prime Minister, dismissing the notion that any Minister from Barisan Nasional (BN) should resign. Zahid emphasized that there is no reason for any BN Minister to vacate their position in the Cabinet.

Contrarily, BN Secretary-General Loke Siew Fook stated that BN Ministers should follow the example of Loke, who resigned as Transport Minister in line with party loyalty. Zahid cautioned against acting irrationally after resigning from office, urging the public not to behave recklessly like certain individuals. He also acknowledged ideological differences with other parties within the national unity government, particularly in states like Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, and Johor, but clarified that these differences do not undermine their support for Anwar Ibrahim's leadership at the federal level.

The Deputy Prime Minister suggested that Parliament should be dissolved to secure a fresh mandate, rather than conducting a cabinet reshuffle following the reshuffling of ministerial positions. This proposal drew criticism from DAP leaders, including Loke, who challenged BN to step down from the unity government if they disagreed with Anwar's leadership.

Loke subsequently held the powerful portfolio of Transport Minister last Tuesday following the High Court's approval of former Prime Minister Najib Razak's plea to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest. Despite the fact that BN and PH remain allies in the federal government, they faced off in Melaka's PRN election on Saturday, when BN formed a poll cooperation pact with the National Initiative (PN).

When asked if a BN-PN cooperation would weaken support for ethnic Malay candidates in the PRN election, Zahid explained that the collaboration represents a good unification and he hopes it is not merely aimed at uniting the minds and support of two rival parties for over five decades.