PETALING JAYA: Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and party secretary general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan have taken to Twitter to say that they will stand by the previous decision of the Umno supreme council.

"I, as the Umno secretary-general, and Umno President Dr Zahid Hamidi stand strongly by the decision of the Umno supreme council before this; strengthen #BN (Barisan Nasional), secure #MN (Muafakat Nasional)," said Ahmad Maslan.

"No relations with the leadership which works together with DAP such as Anwar and Dr Mahathir," added Ahmad Maslan in a tweet on Saturday (Oct 17),

At the same time, Ahmad Zahid pinned an old tweet dated Aug 7 which stated, "do not let go of this handshake", with a picture of two hands with the painted flags of Umno and PAS shaking hands.

The tweet by Ahmad Maslan and pinned tweet by Ahmad Zahid come at the heels of reports that Ahmad Zahid had allegedly co-signed a letter to the Palace with former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, informing that Umno will support Anwar as the next prime minister.

On Oct 13, Anwar had an audience with the King to show him that he had the "formidable majority" in the Dewan Rakyat to form a new government and replace Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Palace, however, on the same day stated that Anwar had only given numbers but no list of names and the King has advised him to follow the legal process as stated in the Federal Constitution.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/10/17/umno-sec-gen-party-president-and-i-say-no-to-dap-anwar-or-mahathir