Umno would continue to contest the general election (GE16) under BN’s dacing (scales) symbol without sidelining partners such as MCA, MIC, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and its unity government partner Pakatan Harapan.

Saying Umno had never contested on its own in the past, Zahid dismissed claims that the party’s losses in several by-elections were due to its partnerships with other parties in BN and with Pakatan Harapan.

“(The suggestion to contest solo) was not only brought up in Kedah — yesterday I was in Johor, and it was the same sentiment, urging us to go solo,” he said at the Lumut Umno divisional meeting today.

“There are resolutions from some divisions implying that our defeats stem from having allies in BN and PH … that we’ve been at a disadvantage because we did not contest alone,” he said.

Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki had also stated that the party would not go solo at the general election as the party had never done so despite the changing political dynamics.