KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Sin Chew Daily) – Umno's Member of Parliament for Padang Rengas Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said his party had already given prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin a deadline to hold the 15th general election.

He told Sin Chew Daily during an exclusive interview, "We want the election earliest by March after the Chinese New Year and latest by June after Hari Raya.

"By right the election should be held soon after the Pakatan Harapan government collapsed. The voters want a freshly elected government and they are serious about this.

"We now have a very weak government. How to have economic growth without political stability?"

'Won't work with Bersatu in GE15'

Nazri expected that eventually Umno would not work with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in the next general election, as majority of Umno divisions had rejected cooperation with the party in GE15.

He said Umno must not go against the will of the grassroots.

"The divisions represent the grassroots. Their voices are sacred to us. They don't want to work with Bersatu!"

He said probably only divisions led by cabinet ministers or deputy ministers would support a cooperation with PPBM.

He expected 150 of all the 191 Umno divisions would eventually reject a cooperation with PPBM in the 15th general election.

He said already more than 100 divisions had adopted the motion not to work with PPBM in next election.

Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that 143 divisions had so far rejected PPBM.

'Will take back from PPBM seats won by Umno'

Nazri also said Umno would contest in all the 16 seats won by the party in 2018 but later defected to PPBM, including Larut now held by PPBM secretary-general cum home minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, and Jeli held by minister in the prime minister's department (economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He insisted that Umno would continue to work with PAS in Muafakat Nasional, adding that his party would contest 95 parliamentary seats in GE15 (down from 120), including the 16 seats won under Umno ticket but now held by PPBM.

"These defectors have betrayed Umno, and if we don't field any candidate in their constituencies, then we are like legitimizing their acts of betrayal."