DUNGUN – PAS has called on parties in Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Muafakat Nasional (MN) to focus on capturing opposition-held seats in the 15th general election (GE15).
Its deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said apart from strengthening PN and MN, it is also to avoid clashes between component parties on seats that have been won previously, especially between PAS, Barisan Nasional (BN) or Umno and Bersatu.
“Instead of contesting against each other for seats we have won, we should focus on the seats that we failed to win and are still in the hands of PH (Pakatan Harapan) so that we can increase our number of seats,” he said after launching the second phase of the Wakaf Ummah Supermarket Fund here today.
Tuan Ibrahim said PAS remains steadfast to the principle of “penyatuan ummah” (ummah unity), which has always been the core struggle of the party, adding that it would continue to negotiate with PN and MN, namely Umno, to avoid a clash of seats.
However, if there remain disagreements between PN component parties, PAS will support the party that holds the seat, he said.
“We will ensure our support base and machinery is for the incumbent party. If the seat is held by Bersatu and Umno contests it, then PAS will not support Umno.
“Similarly, if the seat belongs to Umno and if Bersatu enters the fray, then PAS will not support Bersatu. We want to avoid a three-cornered fight. That is the basis of our stand,” he said.
PN component parties recently arrived at a consensus to settle as soon as possible the allocation of seats to be contested at parliamentary and state levels in GE15.
PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had said the coalition will continue negotiations on the distribution of seats and will hold meetings starting from next week despite still not getting any indication from Umno or BN over the matter. – Bernama, October 3, 2021
