Back PH now, don’t wait for GE15, Khalid tells Umno
PETALING JAYA: Amanah’s Khalid Samad said if Umno wants to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) it must help form a new government now and back Anwar Ibrahim as its prime minister, instead of waiting for the next general election (GE15).
Khalid, who is the party’s communication’s director, said Umno could do so now as it had 34 MPs.
He asked whether Umno was prepared to be a follower as PH would be the one to lead.
“Is Umno prepared to play second fiddle? I think we already know the answer to this,” he said in a statement.
His comments follow Anwar’s claim that informal talks were going on between Umno and his party, PKR. He was further quoted by Astro Awani as saying that initial talks between party leaders had seen positive developments.
Khalid went on to say that any cooperation with Umno would only materialise if Umno was prepared to change and was no longer seen as corrupt.
The Shah Alam MP said if Umno had “repented” and wanted to “return to the right path” then PH would help Umno and be with it.
“But if Umno doesn’t change and we work with them, it will show that it is we (PH) who have changed, especially since we have been rejecting them all this while.”
Khalid expressed confidence that any form of cooperation would be discussed openly and not behind closed doors.
“However, it must be discussed and settled before the 15th general election,” he said
