However, the deputy prime minister said he was willing to meet and explain the cooperation between Umno and DAP, which is a Pakatan Harapan (PH) component, to his party members.

Zahid, who is Bagan Datuk MP, said it was difficult to change the negative perceptions and hatred for DAP that had been ingrained in Umno members by the party leadership over many years.

“Hatred towards them (DAP) has been planted for over two decades, so it is not easy to unravel all of that,” he told reporters at a Felcra Hari Raya celebration in Machang, Kelantan.

Zahid was quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying that previously, Barisan Nasional (BN) voters supported MCA and MIC candidates but they must now back their rivals-turned-allies in the unity government instead.

Yesterday, Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan said party members should look at DAP candidates in the upcoming state elections as representing the unity government rather than the party itself.

“I know the ballots are confidential, but I urge (Umno members) to see the (DAP) candidates as representing the unity government, not the party,” he said in a press conference.

DAP candidates will be contesting in the upcoming state polls on a PH ticket, as they did in the last general election (GE15).