IPOH: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called fora strong cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to continue after the 16th General Election (GE16).
Zahid, who is BN chairman, advised the state PH chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa and BN chairman Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad to ensure that the good relationship between the two leaders is not just visible among politicians, but must also be demonstrated at the grassroots level, namely the at divisional and branch levels.
"Mujahid... remember that 'rezeki tidak pernah salah alamat', as long as you continue to 'bercium mulut' (good rapport) with Saarani. "There should be no fighting for positions. We must negotiate well," he said during the state-level unity government convention held today.
Recalling the formation of the unity government in Perak, the deputy PM said PH, which has 24 seats in the state legislative assembly, had proven its sincerity when it gave way to BN to hold the position of menteri besar, despite the party only winning nine seats. "This sincerity is what binds us at that time. PH, if it wants to, can ask for the menteri besar seat. (But) it's sincerity that gave BN the mandate to become menteri besar.
"If we can maintain this sincerity, we must have it at the grassroots level too to ensure that the support (of the people) goes directly to us," said. The unity government convention, which was held for the first time at the state level, with more than 1,500 delegates today was officiated by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the unity government secretariat top leadership chairman.