Statement of threat from component party leader not welcome – Zahid

BAGAN DATUK: Any thinly veiled statement of threats issued by any Barisan Nasional (BN) component party leader is not welcome as it may jeopardise party harmony, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also BN deputy chairman and Umno vice president carrying out the duties of party deputy president, said as component party leaders, they must have a stand and respect the BN charter as the top priority over other priorities.

He said the problem stirred up by one of the 13 BN component parties, should be resolved immediately, especially if the leader intended to contest in a seat already decided by another component party.

“Of course the BN leadership will take into account the agreement on the seats that have been decided, whether they are on loan temporarily or swapped with another seat.

“However, if the leader concerned still wants to be insistent, I am certain he will will eventually accept the reality that unity in BN is something that must be given priority,” he said.

He said this at a media conference after visiting the Parit 4 voting district centre in Sungai Sumun here yesterday.

Ahmad Zahid, who is the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat incumbent, said it was common in politics every time there was a general election because such problems occurred not only within the BN but the opposition was also believed to face them.

Hence, he expressed confidence that BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has a formula to deal with the problem after the 14th General Election (Ge14) as had been done by the government after the previous general election concluded.

In fact, he said Umno had ever sacrificed seats for candidates of BN component parties in the last GE because the leadership and party members believed that the individuals concerned could represent the BN.

“So, any party victory still represents the BN and symbolises that any candidate who is contesting, as long as he is with the BN component, then he should be supported by all party members and leadership,” he said.

Meanwhile asked on the action of the People's Progressive Party (myPPP) president Tan Sri M. Kayveas who threatened to quit the BN because he was unhappy that MIC was being allocated Cameron Highlands, he said the political issue would be resolved by Najib.