KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has warned parties against taking advantage of the coalition, stressing that political cooperation must be rooted in unwavering loyalty.
Zahid said backing BN only in times of need, only to pull away once comfortable, does not reflect a genuine or loyal partner.
“When they’re in a tight spot, they turn to us. When they’re comfortable, they forget us. That’s not friendship – that’s opportunism.
“Umno and BN will not befriend those who only know how to take advantage,” he said when officiating the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress’s (Kimma) annual general assembly at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today.
Kimma is among the parties allied with BN in a group known as Friends of BN. Among its other members are Makkal Sakti, Indian Progressive Front, and Parti Cinta Malaysia.
Zahid, who is also the Umno president, said loyalty within any political alliance must be demonstrated consistently, not selectively.
“Loyalty must be the same behind closed doors and in public, by day and by night. That is what true loyalty means,” he said.
He said frequently switching allegiances or moving in and out of coalitions reflects a lack of principle.
“One moment they want to leave, the next they want to join another party, then they turn back again. That’s not loyalty – that’s flip-flopping,” he said.
He said his remarks were not directed at any specific person or party.
Zahid told a press conference later that MIC remains a core component of BN and has never formally expressed any intention to leave.
Despite claims of a letter linked to an application to join another coalition, he said, the party itself has denied the matter.
In March, MIC deputy president M Saravanan said the party would remain in BN “for now”, while remaining non-committal about joining the opposition coalition in the future.
He said developments within Perikatan Nasional, particularly PAS taking over the coalition’s chairmanship, required MIC to reassess its position and reconnect with its grassroots to gather feedback.
