PONTIAN (Oct 16): The new terms proposed by UMNO to continue its political cooperation with the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) Government are aimed at improving political ties and understanding among parties in the coalition, UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said.

While describing the allegation that the new terms were political blackmail as individual opinion, he stressed that the terms were intended to make UMNO’s stance clear.

Ahmad said the proposal was conveyed during the video conference between him, UMNO treasurer Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the PN chairman, on Wednesday.

He said the proposal would also be submitted to Muhyiddin in writing later.

“The Prime Minister, through Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN secretary-general), has asked us to send a letter (on the proposal) to him as the PN chairman. What we discussed during the video conference, I cannot tell you right now. I’m sorry. Let the president (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) announce it when the time is right,” he told reporters after presenting aid to undergraduates in Pontian here today.

Ahmad said UMNO’s position as the largest Malay party with the highest number of Members of Parliament among the parties in PN should be respected.

“That is why I made a list (of seats)...sometimes we forgot about the seats. They have a small number of seats, but they think they have many. That’s why I reminded them about this political fact because politics is a game of numbers...the one who has more seats should get more posts and better deals. That’s what we want to make clear with this new arrangement,” he said.

On the party’s next course of action if the new terms were rejected, Ahmad said it would be decided through discussion with UMNO Supreme Council members with priority to be given to the people and the party.

Last Tuesday, UMNO in its Supreme Council’s Political Bureau meeting in Kuala Lumpur, agreed to consider the idea of withdrawing its support for PN and putting in black and white, as soon as possible, new terms to continue its political cooperation with the ruling coalition.