SEREMBAN, April 4 – UMNO leaders are advised to stop issuing any statement that could worsen the situation in the party, said its Deputy President Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said as this is a period of calm, they should be wiser when making statements.

“I ask the party leaders not to make statements that can worsen the situation, take a break please, do not add salt to our wound.

“Be cool although we need to get it out of our chest. As a leader, be rational,” he told reporters after the Free Fuel Filling and Relaxation Program for Youth and the Let’s Register for COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign here, today.

Mohamad said UMNO ministers and deputy ministers should meet with the party’s top leadership first to get views on their position in the Perikatan Nasional government.

He described the decision-making process without the party’s participation as a flaw in the wisdom of power-sharing.

“We did not even ask the minister to resign on the same day but if he wants to resign, discuss it with the party leadership… meet me for instance, I will give my piece of advise,” he said.

On March 31, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said all UMNO ministers will continue to remain in the Cabinet following an agreement during a meeting with them.

Commenting on UMNO election, Mohamad said the decision to go on with it at this time would lead to a split and will ‘bullets’ to the opposition, thus will cause ‘injury’ to the party.

“We can’t say no in terms of party management, we have a timeline, we don’t say we want to postpone for 18 months… that’s why we follow the party’s decision for the 15th general election be held in August,” he said.