UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has expressed regret over comments that branded him as an “infidel” after his statement last week that called for UMNO members to support candidates from the DAP contesting in the upcoming six state elections.
“There was nothing unusual about his statement that urged UMNO members to support the DAP—their former rivals—which is now part of the coalition government,” said the three-term Pontian MP.
“What I previously said was support not in the name of DAP (as a party) but for the unity government. We help each other. The DAP candidate who lost in Pontian during the 15th general election received 15,000 votes.”
According to Ahmad, now that they are a unity government, he predicts that DAP will no longer contest for the presidency in the 16th General Election. Therefore, those 15,000 voters who voted for DAP may vote for BN or UMNO instead.
The Deputy Finance Minister added that when DAP helps them (BN), it is a political norm that they too will help other parties in government.
Ahmad also admitted that he felt saddened by the personal attacks that followed his statement.
Moreover, Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin previously described Ahmad’s call for UMNO members to support DAP candidates as “unusual”.
Following that, numerous unnamed individuals shared an image of Ahmad on Facebook, edited it to look like a pig and tagged it “kafir” (infidel).
Today, Ahmad stated that multiple police files on the matter have since been filed, including by UMNO Youth but he noted that he did not instruct them to do so.
“I would like to thank several parties who lodged police reports against the Facebook accounts that branded me as an infidel.
“This is not a personal issue, but a matter of principle where we cannot label others as infidels,” Malaysiakini reported him as saying.
Moreover, Ahmad further reminded his opponents that Bersatu and PAS who are now Perikatan Nasional allies had previously worked with DAP as members of Pakatan Harapan and UMNO, since their then-political enemies never referred to their presidents, Muhyiddin and Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang as infidels. — May 24, 2023
