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PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar denied he was involved in any meeting in Bangkok that some parties have claimed as the 'Bangkok Move'.
"Referring to statements made by certain parties, I would like to clarify that I was not involved in any meeting in Bangkok that some parties have referred to as the 'Bangkok Move' as reported.
"Any meeting or discussion linked to the matter does not involve me and has nothing to do with me," he said in a statement on his Facebook.
He also hoped that all parties would not speculate or associate his name with things that did not happen.
Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported to have held a meeting with Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin last year to discuss the unification of Malay and Islamic parties.
According to media reports, several sources from political parties informed that apart from Hamzah, Ahmad Zahid was also said to have met with Ahmad Samsuri, and PN Deputy Secretary-General and PAS Secretary-General Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
The meeting is believed to have taken place in early December last year when Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, was on a working visit to Bangkok, Thailand.
According to reports and sources involved, all leaders present reportedly supported the desire to unite Malay and Islamic parties and discussed initial efforts to realise the idea.
Following the meeting, at the Umno 2025 General Assembly held last January, Ahmad Zahid stated the party's intention to unite all Malay and Islamic parties through a large-scale coalition, known as a 'grand collaboration'.
He stressed that the move was not intended to threaten the Unity Government, and there was no need for any of the parties involved to disband; rather, the participation was done informally as a start.
Following this, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reportedly claimed that his former Deputy President was planning to become Deputy Prime Minister by forming a coalition with other parties.
Muhyiddin also confirmed that Hamzah had met Ahmad Zahid before, which was linked to what was dubbed the 'Bangkok Move'.
In that context, Ahmad Samsuri stressed that he was not involved in any meeting in Bangkok as claimed, thus denying any connection with the intended move. – March 7, 2026