KUANTAN: Baiting or offering certain positions to Umno members to jump ship and join other parties within the unity government is a recipe for disaster.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said such an act would be the cause for rifts or cracks that has to be avoided.
"The political stability and government today depends heavily on mutual respect and trust among the political parties that make up the unity government. As mentioned by Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, we respect the existence and role of each party within the unity government.
"Therefore, it is appropriate that Umno also receives the same respect. The move of baiting or offering certain positions to Umno members to leave the party to join other component parties within the unity government is a recipe for cracks that has to be avoided," he said in a statement today.
The Pahang Menteri Besar said Umno has been consistently against the party hopping practise which once resulted in the country to become unstable in the past.
"As the party most affected by this culture (party hopping), Umno is aware of the consequences," he said.
It was reported on Dec 13 that intense negotiations were underway over the possibility of Umno Supreme Council member Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz leaving Umno for PKR. In April, Tengku Zafrul resigned as Selangor Umno treasurer.
Prime Minister and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that there was a preliminary discussion with Tengku Zafrul on the possibility of the latter joining PKR.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki today reaffirmed the party's firm stance in rejecting any attempts by component parties in the unity government to poach its leaders.