Zahid said Anwar has had to manage demands from within the coalition and even from his own party, especially given that his government comprises numerous alliances.

He said he was informed that Anwar came under pressure from his own party leaders during a PKR retreat.

“In PKR, they accuse the prime minister of bowing to Umno’s demands, although we have never asked him to. Umno has 26 seats, Barisan Nasional has 30, but we have eight ministers. Look at how many PKR and DAP have (compared with their number of seats).

“So I want you all to know that the prime minister loves us in Umno. His DNA is Umno. But we can’t expect everything that we ask for to be fulfilled. Anwar has tried to (do so) based on the relevant allocation (to each party),” Zahid said in closing the Umno general assembly.

Umno has seven ministers in the Cabinet, and one from BN partner PBRS. By comparison, PKR with its 31 MPs has nine ministers while DAP has five although it holds 40 parliamentary seats.

Zahid said Umno had never pressured or made excessive demands on the prime minister.

“Our support for the current government remains steadfast … we have never pressured the prime minister. He said that we cannot ask for everything and cannot be given everything because there are 17 parties in the government now,” Bernama quoted Zahid as saying.

“Therefore, power-sharing and the distribution of positions, although not equal, also take into account the requests of the parties that have come together in the unity government,” he said.

Zahid to oversee Felda, FGV

Zahid, who is minister of rural and regional development, said he had been officially entrusted as the minister overseeing the Federal Land Development Authority and Felda Global Ventures.

He had received a letter from Anwar yesterday informing him of his new responsibility, which he would shoulder with the assistance of a deputy minister.

Felda would remain under the Prime Minister’s Department, he said.