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UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has confirmed that meetings have taken place with leaders from PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) as part of efforts to explore the unification of Malay political forces through what he described as a “grand collaboration”.
Zahid said the engagements, which he characterised as indirect, also involved several other Malay-based political parties. He explained that UMNO, as the country’s largest Malay-Islam political party, was taking the initiative to reach out and encourage broader cooperation.
“UMNO, as the largest Malay-Islam political party, is taking a step forward to invite other parties to jointly take proactive and strategic measures to combine all energy and ideas with this political party in order to hold deliberations or discussions,” he said.
“This is because suggestions have been made, but there has been no concrete proposal towards any form of conference or annual assembly of political parties,” he added.
He was speaking at a press conference after the conclusion of the 2025 UMNO General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Earlier, while delivering his winding-up speech on the policy address, Zahid had announced the party’s intention to unite all Malay and Islamic parties under a single coalition known as the grand collaboration.
On a separate issue, Zahid, who also serves as the Deputy Prime Minister addressed recent statements perceived as conflicting positions from senior leaders within the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Zahid claimed that such remarks originated from what he described as a “Team B” faction within DAP, adding that internal factions also existed within the party.
He said he shared the view expressed by UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani that UMNO should not fear DAP.
“What Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said is correct — why should we be afraid of DAP? Those issuing all sorts of statements are ‘Team B’ within DAP,” he said.
“They also have a Team B. I personally met their secretary-general, Anthony Loke,” he added, speaking during his closing address at the 2025 UMNO General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.
Ahmad Zahid also voiced support for remarks made by UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh towards a DAP leader.
“I agree with Akmal’s response, ‘Who do you think you are?’ That is good — that is what a real man does,” he said.
However, the Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament cautioned Dr Akmal to remain careful in his actions, warning that his behaviour could be linked back to UMNO’s leadership.
“Sometimes, when a child is well behaved, people say, ‘Whose good child is that?’ and the answer is, ‘That is the father’s child,’” he said.
“But when a child is mischievous, they will say, ‘Whose father is that?’ Akmal, your father once served as UMNO Youth chief. Dr Akmal is fortunate he was not detained under the ISA,” he added.
“I was detained under the ISA. Do not slip on the same banana peel as your father,” Ahmad Zahid said. - January 18, 2026