KUALA LUMPUR – Despite Umno leaders appearing to have abandoned the Muafakat Nasional (MN) political pact with PAS, both parties continue to be on speaking terms, indicated PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
According to him, meetings between top figures of both parties are regularly held despite MN not being raised during the talks.
He asserted, however, that PAS will continue to defend the pact for the sake of national and community unification, saying: “We have been attempting (to remain united through MN).”
“As long as the time does not come, we will continue (to vouch for MN) for the sake of unity and national stability,” the Kota Baru MP was quoted as saying by Harakah Daily, today.
In May, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly said that the pact between Umno and PAS through MN must be forgotten for the upcoming 15th general election.
It was also reported earlier this year that Kelantan and Terengganu Umno had decided to sever ties with PAS in the states.
During the Umno general assembly in March, the fate of the pact was left hanging in the air as party leaders were ominously mum on the alliance, which had been officiated with the signing of the MN charter on September 14, 2019.
Any mention of PAS only came from delegates who did not have kind words to spare for the Islamist party, including Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki who opined that PAS was to blame for the ending of cooperation between the parties as it had decided to side with Perikatan Nasional during the Johor polls.
Recently, Zahid poured cold water on Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s claim that Umno is at fault for the failed attempt to form an alliance with PAS and Bersatu that would have secured a comfortable election victory.
The Umno president instead accused the two political outfits of alleged backstabbing after his party first extended an olive branch to them. – The Vibes, August 7, 2022
