PUTRAJAYA: The meeting between Umno and PAS presidents “did not result in anything,” says Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic).
He said Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang informed him of this during a meeting on Monday night, adding that he told the PAS president that all doors were closed to Bersatu working with Umno as the latter had already written Bersatu off.
Earlier on Tuesday, Muhyiddin posted a photograph on his Facebook showing him and Hadi being flanked by their party deputy heads Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu and Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar. Also in the photograph was Datuk Seri Radzi Jidin, a Bersatu vice-president.
“Hadi informed me that there was no decision made in his meeting with (Umno president) Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He said he only met him for half an hour and there was no outcome. We do not hide anything from each other.
“On the unity of Malays and Muslims, I have explained that Bersatu will not be able to work with Umno as it decided in its last general assembly that it will not work with Bersatu.
“Further, Umno had invited Bersatu to join Muafakat Nasional and although we agreed then, there was no further feedback on that.
“We are political foes, not enemies of the same religion. It is just political enmity,” Muhyiddin, who is the Perikatan Nasional chairman, told reporters yesterday.
He said he was also made to understand that PAS will make a decision as to which direction it will take with regards to its relationship with Umno.
“That I leave to PAS. As components of a coalition, we must take a common stand as we will face off with Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan in the general election,” said Muhyiddin.
He also said that there was no question of PAS leaving Perikatan, adding that the Islamist party had reiterated its commitment to Perikatan.
“PAS is a founder of Perikatan and there is no question of them leaving the coalition,” said Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin said Bersatu and PAS as the main components of Perikatan, together with Sabah STAR, SAPP and Gerakan, will finalise the allocation of seats for GE15.
Muafakat Nasional is a loose cooperation between Umno and PAS formed after the last general election to strengthen unity among Malay and Muslim political parties.
