KOTA BARU: Despite Barisan Nasional repeating that it plans to go solo in the 15th General Election, PAS is still hoping to avoid straight fights in some states including Kelantan and Penang.
PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the Islamist party is still hoping to work out an understanding with Umno to avoid three-cornered fights in GE15, especially in Kelantan.
However, PAS is prepared for any eventuality, including battling it out with Umno in Kelantan, he added.
“If Kelantan Umno insists on going it alone, we just have to deal with it. I have said before that we are prepared for any eventuality. If we have to fight Umno, so be it.
“We are just hoping that this will not happen. We want to reach an understanding to avert three-cornered contests,” Bernama reported him as telling reporters after a Kelantan Perikatan Nasional gathering here on Sunday night.
Mohd Amar, who is Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar, said if PAS and Umno could work out an electoral understanding, Pakatan Harapan would not be able to win.
But he added that in the event of three-cornered fights in Kelantan, PAS is still confident of winning.
Last week, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan told a Malay daily that the party’s state and division leaders do not have the autonomy to decide on cooperation with PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which are under Perikatan.
He reminded them of the decision made at the party’s general assembly in March last year that Barisan is to go into GE15 on its own. His reminder came following Selangor Umno’s recent request for autonomy to work with PAS in GE15 through the Muafakat Nasional alliance.
In GEORGE TOWN, Penang PAS information chief Abdul Razib Abdul Rahim said the state chapter is trying to ensure straight fights in GE15 in line with efforts by the party’s central leadership to focus on uniting the ummah (Muslim community).
In a statement yesterday, he said Penang is the power base of Pakatan-DAP, and therefore it is particularly crucial for Malay parties in the state to unite and prevent them from retaining power.
“Clashes among Malay parties in Penang will be detrimental to Malay-Islam politics, so straight fights should be the main agenda in the state in GE15.
“‘Islam Unites the Ummah’ is a slogan which should be embraced by supporters of PAS so that efforts to unite Malay parties can bear fruit in line with the party’s principles and policies,” he added.
