ROMPIN - Nervousness took over Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chairman Mohamad Sabu as he shared the stage with Barisan Nasional leaders to deliver a speech.
"The first time I was with BN leaders on stage, my heart was pounding," he said when asked how he felt while campaigning for the Tioman state assembly seat on Wednesday night.
Mohamad described feeling jittery as he never thought he would ever be on the stage with BN leaders to deliver a speech while campaigning together for BN candidate Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Hussain to win in the Dec 7 election.
" It is something new but I did it because I adhered to PH's decision.
"I was asked during the meeting with PH yesterday (Tuesday) to be present tonight to support the BN candidate I was never before surrounded by Umno people," he said.
Apart from Mohamad, the first jointly held talk was also attended by tPahang BN chairman, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail; Pahang PH chairman, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and former Pas secretary for the 'Majlis Syura Ulama', Datuk Dr. Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.
About 500 people were present to listen to the talks delivered by the four leaders on the current development of the two parties' relationship after forming the Unity Government.
Mohamad in his speech said PH and BN joined forces to form a Unity Government to resolve the issue of the Federal Government and the Pahang government where no party had secured a majority.
He said that in the current political situation, PH and BN needed to work together to form the federal and state governments to avoid disorder and discord which can adversely affect the country's economy.
According to him, all parties should give a chance for the unity government formed through the coalition of PH, BN and Gabungan Parti Sarawak to govern at the Federal and state levels.
"It's okay for them (Perikatan Nasional) to be the opposition, criticise us, oppose us, but give us the opportunity to rule for five years.
"I hope the previous event doesn't reoccur... I went to Vietnam as the Defence Minister for the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting, and when I returned to Kuala Lumpur the government had changed. We can't work like this.
"That's why, let us rule for five years, and then we will fight again in the elections. If we win you'll accept it. If you lose you accept it, whether we win or you lose no problem," he said during the talk.
In the meantime, Mohamad also asked the people and the opposition to support the Unity Government that had been formed to build a better Malaysia for all races, religions and to uphold the Constitution of Malaysia.