Smiles at Umno HQ as Zahid arrives from Anwar’s swearing-in as PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — An air of vindication appeared to descend on the Umno headquarters here as party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrived after witnessing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim being appointed as the 10th prime minister.

As the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman wearing an all-black baju Melayu addressed the division leaders, there was almost an atmosphere of celebration at the office of the Malay nationalist party still reeling from the 15th general election.

Umno Wangsa Maju division leader Datuk Shafei Abdullah represented 90 leaders along with 40 others who pledged allegiance to Ahmad Zahid.

Shafei urged other division leaders to close ranks and accept the necessity of the party’s choice of new political partners owing to Umno’s dismal performance in GE15.

“After the discussion earlier, we would like to advise division chiefs who are still doubtful, worried, still suspicious, still thinking all kinds of things, please come back and let’s unite the whole of Malaysia.

“This is normal, for us, we are open to Umno uniting because we only won 30 seats, so if we don’t unite then the future will be bleak,” he told reporters during a press conference after the meeting.

Early today, after decades of waiting to hold the nation’s top job, the wait has ended after Istana Negara named Anwar as the next prime minister after days of political impasse.

Anwar is expected to form a coalition government of Pakatan Harapan, BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and others.