BN suffered its worst electoral performance ever at GE15 after winning only 30 seats, prompting Onn Hafiz to state that BN chairman Zahid should “be magnanimous” like Najib Razak, who stepped down following BN’s defeat in GE14.

Onn Hafiz said he apologised to Zahid after receiving advice from Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail after speculation that he could face disciplinary action like other Umno leaders who had called for Zahid’s resignation.

He said he was advised by the Johor palace that as a young leader, he may have “gone too far” with his remarks and that apologising was the appropriate course of action.

“They told me, ‘Go and see your president … we have a state to run’,” he said on a Keluar Sekejap podcast hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.

“After that advice, I went to meet Zahid and apologised if my remarks had hurt his feelings … and, Alhamdulillah, I think he forgave me.

“And now, in terms of party relationships and getting things done within the party, I think that is water under the bridge,” added the Johor Umno chief.

Earlier in the podcast, Shahril pointed out that Onn Hafiz had been the first Umno leader to publicly call for Zahid’s resignation after GE15.

Shahril said he, too, had made similar remarks but ended up being suspended from Umno, while Onn Hafiz faced no disciplinary action.

“Maybe our guest can explain why,” he joked.

Responding humorously, Onn Hafiz said: “I think at that time, I prayed a lot!”