BATU PAHAT: Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has been advised to follow his Umno president's example when making statements.
Johor PKR Youth deputy chief Faezuddin Puad said Onn Hafiz should refrain from making statements that could offend coalition parties within the unity government.
This comes after Onn Hafiz's remarks during the opening speech of the Umno Sri Gading division meeting on Saturday, where he emphasised that Umno would strive to recapture the Sri Gading parliamentary seat.
Faezuddin said such careless remarks made it seem like there was an agenda contrary to the spirit of cooperation and this could disrupt the harmony within the unity government.
He said Onn Hafiz should look to Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the best example, as he consistently urges all leaders and members to respect the seats won by component parties.
"Mutual respect and avoiding offensive remarks against coalition parties within the unity government are key to maintaining political stability in our state and country.
"We should unite to safeguard the unity government. Let us use every by-election and state election as a training ground for party compatibility within the unity government," he said in a statement today.
During his speech at the Umno Sri Gading division meeting on July 6, Onn Hafiz reportedly said that the party not only aims to retain the two state assembly seats, Parit Raja and Parit Yaani, within the Sri Gading parliamentary constituency, but also to recapture the parliamentary seat.
Also present at the delegates meeting was Umno Sri Gading division chief, Datuk Mohd Lassim Burhan.
Umno had previously won the Sri Gading parliamentary seat in the 13th General Election (GE13), and the party has since failed to recapture the seat in GE14 and GE15.
In GE15, the Sri Gading parliamentary seat was won by Aminolhuda Hassan of Amanah representing Pakatan Harapan (PH), defeating candidates from Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional and Pejuang.