'DAP today is not the same as before' - Umno Kelantan

PASIR PUTEH - Kelantan Umno information chief Datuk Zawawi Othman says DAP is no longer as extreme as it used to be when they were aligned with Pas and Bersatu.

He added the changes were seen after Umno formed a coalition with Pakatan Harapan (PH) through the Unity Government.

"To say Umno supports DAP... Pas was even worse where they had allowed DAP leaders to mention verses from the Quran in their speech before. Pas Youth had raised DAP flag but Umno had never done so.

"We have to make a comparison. Their (DAP) character is very different now. There is no longer any sentiments that could threaten the stability of the country such as the issue of the word Allah, Malay supremacy, Malay Kings and so on," he said when contacted on Sunday.

He said this when commenting on the issue of how it would be hard for Umno voters to vote for DAP candidates in the state elections at the six states soon.

Zawawi said Umno will never compromise issues related to Islam, Malay supremacy and Malay Kings.

He said the matter had been outlined when signing the agreement with PH previously.

Commenting on the support in Kelantan state election, he said the situation is different here.

In Kelantan, DAP needs to support Umno candidates in the upcoming state election.

"It is necessary to show support for the Unity Government at the central level that is currently governing the country," he said.

Yesterday, Sinar reported that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had admitted that it would be difficult to change the supporters' view point in accepting DAP as a partner in the Unity Government but it is not an impossible.

He said it was due to the negative perspective engraved since 22 years ago by the previous leadership while governing the country.