PAS' statement expressing confidence that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) parties can go into the 15th General Election as a coalition remains just that, said Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said this is because no commitment for the PN parties to contest the next general election as a single coalition has been discussed.
"The statement only reflects PAS' confidence. Nothing has been discussed. Read the statement properly," he told Malaysiakini.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, in a statement yesterday, said his party was confident that the PN components can divide the electoral seats among them for the next general election.
"PAS is confident that the parties that formed PN are ready to combine their strength and machinery in preparation for the 15th general election, including to finalise the distribution of seats, even though the date has yet to be decided," he said.
Takiyuddin added that the tolerance of all PN components could strengthen the coalition at both the federal and state levels until the end of the term.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been working to formalise the PN coalition so that it can function as a single unit in the next general election.
However, this will entail Bersatu, Umno and PAS, which have many electoral overlaps, to share the seats they contest in the general election.
Some leaders in Umno oppose this, favouring the Muafakat Nasional platform instead, which cuts out Bersatu.
Muafakat Nasional is an alliance between Umno and PAS.
However, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin appeared more open to the PN proposal.
Bung admitted that there had been no discussion in Umno about distributing seats with PN partners.
But he said the matter may have been discussed within the PN government.
"To Sabah Umno, we are always open to discussion. Our priority is to develop the Sabah in the interest of the people. For me, the people should be our priority.
"Sabah Umno is ready and is planning its strategy to face the general election at any time," he said.
The Pakatan Harapan government collapsed in late February after Muhyiddin pulled his party out of the coalition government.
Muhyiddin was sworn in as the new prime minister on March 1, after he put together a new coalition comprising Bersatu, PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and Star.
Muhyiddin is now working to ensure that the coalition is more than a Harapan replacement for this term and can function as a political unit in the next general election.
Bersatu's survival is incumbent on the success of PN as the alternative would see Umno and PAS joining forces under Muafakat Nasional, cutting out Bersatu. - Mkini
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