Zahid Dares Anwar to Dissolve Parliament or Boot UMNO From Government
- 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 (for the government).
Zahid Challenges Pakatan Harapan Over Unity Government Foundation
United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi publicly challenged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition to either remove UMNO from the federal government or dissolve Parliament to seek a fresh mandate. Speaking at the close of the UMNO General Assembly at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre on September 12, 2026, Zahid asserted that the unity government owes its existence to Barisan Nasional (BN) and warned that the administration’s original political foundation has fractured.
Addressing thousands of cheering delegates inside Dewan Merdeka, Zahid recounted the political stalemate following the 2022 general election, where no single party secured enough seats to govern on its own. The deadlock ended when BN contributed its 30 parliamentary seats to join forces with Pakatan Harapan, which had won 82 seats, crossing the 112-seat threshold required for a simple majority. Zahid argued that because additional parties joined only after that initial alliance was secured, expelling BN would strip the government of its foundational backing.
Zahid pointed out that the coalition has already lost three lawmakers who previously left Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)—namely Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and Wong Chen—who vacated their Dewan Rakyat seats.
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 (for the government). Naturally, you should get a fresh mandate. You are left with two paths: either you hold a general election to secure a new mandate, or you can formally cast us out and bring a confidence motion to the floor of the Dewan Rakyat.
The president’s remarks drew raucous cheers and chants of bubar, meaning dissolve, from the assembly delegates.
UMNO Maintains Professionalism Despite Internal Friction
Despite the fiery rhetoric delivered to party members, Zahid clarified during a subsequent press conference that BN does not intend to table a vote of no confidence against the prime minister. Adopting a notably cooler tone, he emphasized that BN remains a professional partner within the cabinet.
We will continue to be in it and as long as our party is in it, differences of opinion will naturally exist, but we remain professional members of the cabinet and party leaders, Zahid stated during the briefing. He stressed that cooperation does not equate to surrender, noting that UMNO can work alongside coalition partners without compromising its distinct political identity or relinquishing its future direction.
Planning Mass Rally With PAS
During his winding-up address, Zahid also announced plans for UMNO to organize a mass Perpaduan Ummah rally in cooperation with Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), aiming to gather at least one million participants. He tasked Dr Akmal Saleh with spearheading the organizational efforts, which will begin with state-level roadshow demonstrations to build grassroots support across the country.