UMNO Maintains Federal Support While Retaining State Autonomy in PRN 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 (Bernama) - UMNO will continue to support the Unity Government formed after the 15th General Election until the next general election, in line with the decree of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said this stance was decided during the UMNO Supreme Council meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the UMNO President, at Menara Dato Onn here tonight. At the same time, Asyraf Wajdi stated that the agreement to form the Unity Government at the Federal level does not bind any state government. According to him, the Johor State Government was formed before the creation of the Federal-level Unity Government and did not involve parties from Pakatan Harapan. Asyraf Wajdi added that the decision by UMNO and Barisan Nasional to defend the state mandate is not a form of betrayal against the Federal Government, as claimed by certain parties. On the contrary, it is a legitimate, mature, and constitutional democratic practice that fully returns the mandate to the people, he said. He also mentioned that UMNO remains open to any form of cooperation with any party for the sake of the countries political stability and the well-being of the people; however, any cooperation must be built upon the principles of sincerity and trust. The clarification came amid political speculation about UMNOs position in the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, with questions raised about whether the partys federal commitment aligns with its state-level aspirations. Political observers note that the distinction between federal and state mandates in Malaysias constitutional framework remains a crucial consideration for coalition politics. -- BERNAMA