Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi speaks during Umno Supreme Council meeting at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) July 24, 2019. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Umno members cannot represent the party in having talks with other political parties as only its president has been given the mandate to do so, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Following the open invitations by other parties, particularly from Pakatan Harapan (PH), for Umno to join forces to form Malay unity, Zahid said the party remains adamant that it would not have any cooperation with any parties that are allies with DAP.

“Umno will not accept any negotiations with any parties, especially the component parties of PH, which have political ties with DAP.

“Only the president is allowed to represent Umno to engage in discussions with other parties, but no other party leader or members are given the mandate to do so,” Zahid told a press conference after chairing the Umno Supreme Council meeting at the party headquarters here today.

Zahid said if any parties aside from Umno, PAS or Barisan Nasional (BN) invites either of the Malay-Muslim parties to discuss on any form of political cooperation, the Umno Supreme Council had agreed that Umno would not accept any negotiations, unless represented by the president.

“If it is only to discuss and hear the views [of others], we will listen. But we object 100 per cent in forming cooperation with other parties [especially linked with DAP].”

Earlier this month, Zahid had said that both Umno and BN would never accept the invitation to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia as long as the Pakatan Harapan coalition party cooperates with DAP.

This was following Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s invitation to all Malay parties including Umno to join Bersatu in efforts to unite the Malays.

The Bersatu chairman said that he found more and more Malay parties were being formed, which reduced the potentials of the Malay parties to win the election.

Meanwhile, on the political cooperation between Umno and PAS, Zahid said the secretary-general of both parties will be announcing the date when the official agreement will be signed.

Earlier today, The Star reported that Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said that the parties are finding suitable date and venue for the ceremony to launch and sign the Umno-PAS charter.

Under the agreement, both parties will not contest each other in state or parliamentary seats.