Umno deputy president hopes apology demand won’t divide coalition government
Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan expressed his hope that the apology demanded by his party’s Youth Chief would not lead to divisions within the federal coalition government with Pakatan Harapan (PH). Mohamad Hasan, also known as Tok Mat, stated that he respects DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke’s opinion against issuing such an apology and urged all parties involved to move on towards the future.
“I really think it’s a good thing but if Anthony said to move on then it is up to them. That’s their stand,” he said during the Umno General Assembly 2023, referring to Loke. “But I don’t want this apology issue to create a crack in the unity government.”
Mohamad had previously suggested that it would be beneficial for DAP to issue an apology to Umno, and that the wing had not been wrong in making the demand. “If DAP can apologise to the people of Sarawak and its government, why not to us? It’ll make us closer as friends,” he said, referring to the components in the federal coalition.
On June 8, Umno Youth Chief Dr Akmal Saleh made a controversial demand during the Umno General Assembly 2023 for enemy-turned-ally DAP to apologise to the party for its past attacks on them. Dr Akmal demanded DAP apologise to Umno for its past mistakes, and to prove its sincerity to the coalition government led by PKR’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which comprises Pakatan Harapan component parties and the Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and Gabungan Bersatu Sabah.
Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi quickly dismissed the need for DAP to apologise, as the matter does not need to be raised again by his party. However, Dr Akmal remained defiant and continued to stand by his demand.
Last night, Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan was reported by Malaysiakini to have backed Umno Youth’s controversial demand for enemy-turned-ally DAP to apologise to the party for its past attacks on them.
Yesterday, Loke told the Umno Youth wing to heed its President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s call to forget the two parties’ hostile past for the sake of the nation.
