Now, Umno says alliance with DAP emulates Prophet Muhammad

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki today became the latest party leader to defend the newfound alliance with DAP, this time citing an instance from early Islamic history where Prophet Muhammad entered into an agreement with the disbelievers of Mecca who were against him.

At the Umno Youth general assembly, Asyraf, a loyalist of party chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who spearheaded the move to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form the federal government last year, spoke of the Hilf al-Fudul, a confederacy formed between Muslims and the Meccan tribe of Quraish as well as the Jews of Medina.

He said the decision to join hands with Umno's arch enemy was not an easy one, adding that many people had been broken-hearted by the move.

"Going by emotions, why should they make peace with people who not only hurt feelings but had the blood of the martyred companions and the family of the Prophet on their hands?

"Going by emotions, why work with a party that is clearly hostile to Islam and that will forever refuse to acknowledge the Islamic struggle?" asked Asyraf.

He said despite the cooperation with these enemies, the Prophet had not compromised on his faith.

"The Prophet never compromised on principles and sovereignty," he said.

Yesterday, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan also defended his party's cooperation with DAP, saying decades of animosity with the Chinese-dominated party had not benefited Umno in its quest for Malay support.

"On the contrary, it declined. Whether or not the Malays support Umno is clearly not because of our stance against DAP," Mohamad said last night in his speech to the delegates of the various Umno wings ahead of the party's general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

Late last month, Zahid said it was Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had instilled hatred against DAP.

He said this resulted in Umno being the only Malay party who had yet to partner with DAP.

Asyraf meanwhile said the cooperation with non-Muslims was to ensure that Islam remained strong.

Last year, Umno suffered its worst election defeat amid a major shift of Malay support towards PAS and Bersatu, which are part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition headed by Muhyiddin Yassin.

Following a hung parliament, Zahid pushed through an alliance with PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim, after successfully silencing senior party leaders who had earlier opposed any move to go back on Umno's "No Anwar no DAP" principle.