“As long as the party president or party leader does not issue any statement, statements made by others are of a personal nature,” said Zahid at a press conference after closing the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) convention today.

He also urged Umno leaders not to disturb the party’s partners in the unity government.

“We must respect one another,” Zahid said.

“We’ve set aside our differing views and we must move forward and cooperate well to face any possibility, including by-elections or general elections.”

Last month, Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed said PH should publicly apologise to his party for the slander, accusations and negative perceptions PH had created over the years.

Nur Jazlan said such attacks had tarnished Umno’s image among voters.

His suggestion for PH to apologise came in the wake of Umno’s thumping win in the Mahkota by-election, which Nur Jazlan said proved that no single party in the unity government coalition could claim to be the main pillar of the alliance.

PH and BN, formerly bitter rivals, are now part of the federal government led by PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim.

The coalitions joined forces to form the federal government, alongside the ruling coalitions from Sabah and Sarawak, in response to a call from the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, to break the political deadlock following a hung Parliament after the 2022 general election.

Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party’s win in Mahkota should not make it arrogant, adding that it aimed to strengthen ties with its unity government partners.

In the Mahkota by-election, BN fielded an Umno candidate, Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, who was elected with a majority of 20,648 votes over his rival, Haizan Jaafar from Perikatan Nasional.