KOTA KINABALU: Perikatan Nasional is prepared to face Umno in the next general election if the latter sticks with its decision of dropping cooperation, says its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

       "In the past Umno general assembly, they had already decided to not cooperate with Bersatu.

       "If we interpret this, there will be no cooperation in whatever form, even though we are still collaborating in the government right now.

       "According to what Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president) had said in facing elections, they will not be working together with us, which basically means they will fight against us.

       "If Umno does not change their decision, we are ready...Even during the meeting here, everyone was clear that if there was a collision during elections, then we would face it," he said after a meeting with Sabah Bersatu leaders here on Saturday (Oct 2).

       He was asked to comment on Ahnad Zahid saying they were closing the door on negotiations with Bersatu for elections, and that Umno would defend seats the party won in GE14.

       Muhyiddin said regardless of what any political parties decide, it would be up to the people to determine the outcome and who they want to represent them.

       Asked as how this would affect Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition at the state level where Bersatu and Umno did not have frictions, he said he would be leaving it to the Chief Minister cum Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to discuss with the state level counterparts.

       "I recognised this, we believe GRS has created good vibes among the people, it has served its purpose.

       "Sabah GRS government has been at the helm for over a year, and this is a good example.

       "This is one of the things we discussed earlier - Is Sabah different from Peninsular Malaysia? I cannot answer but I gave a mandate to Hajiji to discuss with GRS peers and determine a clear stance or direction on how to face elections.

       "Sabah is unique compared to the Peninsular and we take this into account," he explained.

       Earlier, Muhyiddin praised Sabah Bersatu as the strongest state among other states, where its membership reached 108,000.

       He also said in preparing to face the coming GE15, Bersatu would create programmes to attract new young voters.