KUALA LUMPUR – Umno was forced to abandon Muafakat Nasional (MN) and go its own way in the upcoming general election after its partner in the pact, PAS, decided to sleep with Umno’s enemy, Bersatu.
In a statement today, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said PAS had betrayed its trust when it chose to be a component of the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
He questioned how stability and cooperation could be established in MN if even the most basic requirements for partnership – principle and trust – were ignored, while accusing PAS of abandoning the spirit of the pact when it was first established.
“This is especially so when it involves a party which clearly wants to destroy Umno inside and out,” he said, referring to Bersatu.
“From what I see, the cooperation that PAS aspires to have is only a form of shallow political partnership that discounts the needs of the people.
“Umno must move on. We have made a decision to go solo due to PAS’ own behaviour,” he said.
“No need to sob when you are always trying to play safe by dipping in several ponds.”
Zahid said this in response to PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man’s remark yesterday that the Islamist party has never declared its partnership with Umno under MN dead.
Tuan Ibrahim reiterated the need for Muslims to unify under a single platform for the sake of the Malays, Islam and the future of Malaysia.
MN was formed after the 2018 general election, with Umno and PAS – the two largest Malay-Muslim political parties in the country – signing a charter signifying their official cooperation in September 2019.
However, in August 2020, PAS officially became a member of PN at a time when its lynchpin party Bersatu was leading the federal government.
Zahid said the formation of MN in 2019 was based on the pressing need for Umno and PAS to do something to address the growing distrust of the public towards the then Pakatan Harapan administration.
“MN was offered to the people as a form of a courageous and strict resolution by the people, regardless of background or social class, so that Malaysia can once again be governed with focus and responsibility.
“The cooperation between Umno and PAS should have been the best entity to lead the country forward,” he said, adding that victories in a series of by-elections had then proven their synergy at that time.
However, he said all these were taken away following PAS’ decision to sit under the PN umbrella, he stressed. – The Vibes, September 2, 2022
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