Bersatu, PAS’ support for federal govt ‘conditional’, parties demand backing be respected

SHAH ALAM – Bersatu and PAS have cautioned that their support for the federal government is conditional, and called for their backing to be respected and even further negotiated.

The two Perikatan Nasional (PN) parties expressed disappointment over political playmaking by certain quarters, following a meeting between them at Glenmarie Hotel here today.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Bersatu president and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin warned that these undue political manoeuvres are hampering unity and risking the nation’s prosperity. Also present was PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.

“We are disappointed over the political games played by certain parties that disrupt unity, threaten political stability and gamble away the nation’s future,” Muhyiddin said.

He stopped short of naming the parties in question.

He stressed that the two parties’ support for the federal administration is conditional, and ought to be given due respect and negotiated based on the values of integrity, anti-corruption and welfare. 

However, he added that all PN components, which include Gerakan, will use the coalition’s logo at the upcoming Johor election, in which they will face the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN).

Both the present federal government and the Johor government prior to the state assembly’s recent dissolution are led by Umno.

Muhyiddin, who was Johor menteri besar from 1986 to 1995, added that the coalition will finalise its seat distribution and selection of candidates in the next day or two.

Additionally, at the PAS-Bersatu meeting today, both parties agreed to further strengthen their bonds in pursuit of national political stability.

Muhyiddin said they reached an agreement to hold shared principles based on the values of integrity, stability, and inclusive unity while strengthening the PN coalition.

Additionally, Bersatu and PAS will step up their efforts to woo voters on the fence and the youth via clear branding.

On January 22, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad, who is from Umno, had announced that he had obtained the agreement of Umno division chiefs in the state to hold the Johor state election.

He was later granted an audience with Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who assented to dissolving the state assembly.

Johor Umno has been hoping for state polls following the death of Bersatu’s Kempas assemblyman Datuk Osman Sapian on December 21.

His death had left the Umno-led state administration with a razor-thin majority of only one seat, with 28 held against opposition Pakatan Harapan’s 27. – The Vibes, January 29, 2022