Full house: Abdul Hadi (in green vest) with Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (in blue) and other attendees during the 68th PAS muktamar at Kedah PAS Complex in Kota Sarang Semut, Alor Setar. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
ALOR SETAR: With contrasting signals previously sent out by leaders of both PAS and Umno on the fate of Muafakat Nasional, Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang now says that the pact is still on and may feature in the coming general election.
The PAS president also said it was only Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s opinion that Muafakat had ended.
Despite Umno’s absence at the PAS muktamar (general assembly) this weekend, the Islamist party yesterday held firm that Muafakat still stands.
Answering media questions, Abdul Hadi said the view about the pact having ended was only expressed by Ahmad Zahid, adding that there was still discussion between Umno and PAS at the grassroots level nationwide.
“There’s a possibility that PAS would work with Umno in the 15th General Election. Politics is dynamic and us working together (for GE15) can happen,” he said.
However, he revealed that PAS had invited state and central Umno leaders to its muktamar but none had responded.
Ties between PAS and Umno turned frosty when PAS chose to go with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia under the Perikatan Nasional coalition during the Melaka and Johor state polls and contested against Barisan Nasional led by Umno.
Earlier, speaking at the muktamar for the first time in two years since the Covid-19 pandemic, Abdul Hadi told PAS members that it was for the sake of the ummah (community) that the party accepted Muafakat, and Bersatu through Perikatan.
PAS signed the Muafakat pact with Umno to go against Pakatan Harapan, then the ruling coalition, in 2019.
The party also joined Perikatan in 2020 to form the government after Bersatu left Pakatan following the Sheraton Move, which saw Pakatan losing Putrajaya.
“Our agenda is ummah unity. The ummah is made up of bumiputra and non-bumiputra, who have become citizens and are a part of us,” Abdul Hadi told a press conference after delivering his policy speech at the 68th PAS muktamar.
On seat allocations between the party and its Perikatan partners, he said discussions were still ongoing and would not be concluded until the date of the general election was announced.
On using PAS’ own logo in Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah, Abdul Hadi said the party was still gathering feedback from the grassroots in the states.
He said the leadership had received contrasting views, with some members preferring their own party logo and others wanting to go with Perikatan’s.
In his policy speech, Abdul Hadi also downplayed the significance of the anti-hopping law, saying that PAS’ way of getting candidates to take the bai’ah (oath of allegiance) was much stronger as it was a pledge between man and God.
“It’s in the PAS constitution. As bai’ah is the law of God, pronouncing such an oath supersedes all other man-made laws,” he said.
PAS’ practice of bai’ah came to light when a group of party leaders left to form Parti Amanah Negara in 2015.
The oath is taken by its election candidates to not switch allegiance or they may suffer consequences.
Abdul Hadi also said he would speak in detail about his remark about non-Muslims being the root of corruption in court after he was asked to give a statement at Bukit Aman a few days ago.
The Marang MP is under investigation for incitement and abuse of network facilities following 28 police reports filed against him over his remark.
Some 1,300 delegates are attending the muktamar held at Kedah PAS Complex yesterday and today.
