PUTRAJAYA: All parties within the unity government must uphold the principles of unity and mutual respect.
As such, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said these parties should avoid making excessive demands.
He said this when responding to Kluang Parti Amanah Negara's demand to be allowed to contest in the upcoming Mahkota by-election.
"The leaders at the central-level have not even discussed the matter. So, we should translate the spirit of the unity government, by not demanding this and that.
"Please be respectful. If the seat belongs to a party, then the formula is that seat will be given to the party," Zahid told reporters after the National Symposium on Rural Planning and Development 2024.
Zahid is deputy prime minister and Barisan Nasional chairman.
to contest in the Mahkota by-election since the party had won the seat in the 14th General Election in 2018 and contested in the 2022 state election.
Elaborating further, Zahid said Zuhan's statement does not represent Amanah at the central level.
Asked if there is a list of potential candidates for the state seat, Zahid replied:
"The incumbent just died and we should be sympathetic to the family. Let's not get caught up in trying to make political formulas or demanding this and that.
"What's important right now is that service to the people should continue."
The Mahkota by-election was triggered following the death of assemblyman Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zaid on Aug 2.
The Election Commission will hold a meeting on Aug 13 to decide on the date for the by-election.
EC secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak had said the commission was notified of the vacancy by the Johor State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi yesterday, following Sharifah Azizah's death.
In the 15th Johor state election in 2022, Sharifah Azizah won Mahkota with a 5,166-vote majority in a four-cornered fight with Pakatan Harapan's Taqiuddin Cheman, who is from Amanah; Perikatan Nasional's Mohamad Nor Lingan and Warisan's Mohamed Noor Suleiman.
In GE14, however, Amanah's candidate Muhammad Said Jonit won the Mahkota state seat with a 1,668-vote majority against BN's Datuk Jais Sarday and Pas candidate Hasbullah Najib.
In another development, when asked if the unity government leaders would attend the upcoming Umno general assembly, Zahid said:
"Last year, we invited the unity government's leaders. This time around, we shall see the availability of the leaders to attend.
"We have discussed (on the official invitation to the leaders," he said.
The Umno general assembly will be held at the from Aug 21-24.
parties, unity government, unity, mutual respect, Umno president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Kluang, Amanah, NST, news, Malaysia