'It is not forced marriage, but an arranged marriage by parents' - Mahfuz

SUNGAI PETANI - Kedah Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar has responded to former Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's statement likening Barisan Nasional and PH's cooperation to a "forced marriage".

The former Pokok Sena MP said the cooperation or relationship between the two coalitions could instead be considered as a "marriage arranged by parents".

At the same time, Mahfuz said he believed in the process of "love" which happened through the formation of the unity government at the federal level as well as the Kedah Unity Leadership Council to achieve fruitful results in the upcoming state elections.

"I am confident with what I have said all the while that it (the cooperation of PH and BN) is not a forced marriage, it is a marriage set up by our folks or parents that in this case is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"His Majesty brought us together and InsyaAllah after this, we will become closer. Through this cooperation, we will make a greater Kedah in the future," he said.

Mahfuz said this during a press conference after the Kedah round table meeting with the state unity government parties at the Persatuan Pendidikan Akhlak Lip Seang Kor Hall, here, last night.

It was previously reported that Ismail Sabri had likened the PH and BN cooperation to a forced marriage and it will not succeed as there was no love between the parties' top leadership or at the grassroots level.

The former Umno vice president said cracks were starting to form in the cooperation between the parties in the government as they were openly attacking each other in the public domain. - AWANI