Zahid Dares Anwar to Kick UMNO Out and Dissolve Parliament
United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi publicly challenged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan-led coalition to either remove UMNO from the government or dissolve Parliament immediately. Speaking at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, Zahid asserted that the current administration’s parliamentary majority relies entirely on Barisan Nasional’s foundational support.
PH secured 82 seats while BN contributed 30 seats, creating the initial 112-seat simple majority needed to form the government. Zahid reminded thousands of delegates inside Dewan Merdeka that without this original 30-seat block, Anwar could not have assumed the premiership.
The political arithmetic has shifted since the 2022 formation. Zahid pointed out that three prominent Members of Parliament—former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and Wong Chen—have since quit PKR and vacated their Dewan Rakyat seats, altering the legislative landscape.
“If you ask us to quit the government, it means that logically, (Harapan) no longer has the minimum 112 seats that made the original foundation,” Zahid stated during his winding-up speech, as reported by Malaysiakini. He outlined two distinct paths forward for the administration if tensions persist: obtaining a fresh mandate through a general election or officially removing UMNO and testing its strength via a confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat.
Managing Coalition Tensions and Professional Governance
Despite the fiery rhetoric that drew raucous cheers and chants of “Bubar! Bubar!” (dissolve, dissolve) from delegates, Zahid adopted a much more measured tone during a subsequent press conference covered by Free Malaysia Today and The Star. Clarifying his stance, the UMNO president emphasized that his challenge did not signal an immediate plan for BN to table a no-confidence motion against Anwar.
Instead, Zahid underscored the professionalism maintained by BN leaders within the cabinet. “We will continue to be in it and as long as we are in it, there are indeed differences of opinion, but we are professional members of the cabinet and also professional party leaders,” Zahid told reporters, highlighting that mutual respect for differing political views must persist across coalition lines.
Grassroots Mobilization and Future Political Alignments
Beyond federal coalition dynamics, Zahid used the assembly’s closing moments to announce a large-scale political initiative. According to Malaysiakini, UMNO plans to organize a mass “Perpaduan Ummah” rally in cooperation with PAS, targeting a turnout of at least one million participants. UMNO Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has been tasked with spearheading the organizing efforts, which will begin with state-level roadshow demonstrations designed to rally grassroots machinery across the country.
Cooperation does not equal capitulation, Zahid told delegates, reinforcing that UMNO retains full autonomy over its future direction as the party prepares for its upcoming grassroots roadshows and a testing electoral horizon.