KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad elaborated today that acting Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi wanted to express support for the new Pakatan Harapan government during a meeting yesterday.
The prime minister said Zahid — who has since replaced Datuk Seri Naji Razak as the leader of the battered Barisan Nasional coalition — had called and asked for the meeting in Putrajaya yesterday.
“He is interested in supporting the government,” Dr Mahathir told a news conference in the federal administrative capital after chairing a Cabinet meeting.
He then added: “He is welcome to support or oppose the government.”
Zahid was the third Opposition party leader to have met with Dr Mahathir in the wake of Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) upset win in the May 9 general election, after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu president Datuk Abang Johari Abang Openg.
The Bagan Datok MP who had been highly critical of Dr Mahathir in the run-up to the polls had tweeted his meeting and even included a snapshot of them together yesterday.
In a Sinar Harian report yesterday, Dr Mahathir said Zahid had asked for his help to revive and manage Umno.
To which, Dr Mahathir reportedly said that it was not going to be easy as Umno, a Malay-based party, has betrayed the Malays.
.jpg)
