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TENSIONS within the Unity Government have intensified after UMNO and Amanah exchanged conflicting views over Barisan Nasional's (BN) electoral cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Negeri Sembilan state election.
UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki maintained that removing any BN minister, deputy minister or chairman of a government-linked company (GLC) would effectively dismantle the Unity Government agreement reached following the 2022 general election.
He said the distribution of Cabinet portfolios, deputy ministerial posts, GLC chairmanships and appointments to government agencies formed part of the coalition agreement that established the federal administration.
"Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this is the Prime Minister's absolute prerogative, but the Prime Minister must also understand that he is bound by the Unity Government agreement.
"That is why every ministerial portfolio, deputy ministerial post, GLC chairmanship and government agency appointment was determined and agreed through that agreement.
"If any minister or GLC chairman is removed, then the agreement effectively unravels. In my view, it would be better to return the mandate to the people," he told reporters after a campaign event in Kota.
Asyraf was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's reminder that leaders within the Unity Government should maintain discipline and refrain from criticising the administration during the Negeri Sembilan election campaign.
He said coalition partners should instead focus on promoting their policies and election pledges, arguing that similar attacks against BN during the Johor election had failed to influence voters.
Meanwhile, Amanah vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said BN leaders who believed electoral cooperation with PN was the right political course should voluntarily resign from the Cabinet instead of waiting to be dismissed by the Prime Minister.
He said the Unity Government was built on mutual trust, shared responsibility and political consensus, adding that BN's cooperation with PN had inevitably cast doubt on its commitment to the coalition.
"In our culture, if one has chosen the house next door, he should not keep the keys to the house that he left behind," Mahfuz said in a statement.
He argued that it was inconsistent for leaders to continue holding positions in the Unity Government while cooperating with parties campaigning against the federal administration during state elections.
Mahfuz also questioned Negeri Sembilan BN chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan's statement that he was prepared to relinquish his ministerial post if instructed to do so by the Prime Minister.
"The question is not whether the Prime Minister will issue the directive.
"The question is, why wait for a directive if your own principles dictate that the cooperation is no longer being respected?" he said.
Describing the matter as one of political integrity rather than retaliation, Mahfuz said BN leaders should decide for themselves whether to remain in the Unity Government or step down, instead of leaving the responsibility to the Prime Minister. - July 22, 2026
