LUMUT, July 8 — Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has confirmed that Umno will contest the 16th General Election (GE16) under the Barisan Nasional (BN) banner, rejecting calls from some grassroots divisions for the party to go solo.
Speaking at the 2025 Lumut Umno Division Delegates’ Meeting, Zahid reiterated Umno’s historic position as a key BN component and maintained that working with coalition partners such as MIC, MCA, Pakatan Harapan (PH), and PBRS remains the way forward.
Responding to growing internal sentiment urging a solo path following recent by-election defeats, Zahid dismissed claims that alliances have weakened Umno’s performance. “Our defeats should not be blamed solely on our partnerships.
Umno has never stood alone and we will continue contesting with the BN symbol,” he said. His statement aligns with Umno Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki’s remarks a day earlier, affirming the party’s coalition-based approach heading into GE16.
