PAS may hold the line on seat distribution

 

Johor Umno divisions are unwilling to give up the Pagoh seat, says Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.

PETALING JAYA: The close ties between PAS and PPBM may result in the Islamic party getting tougher with Umno on seat allocation, according to a political analyst.

This comes as Umno’s general election director Tajuddin Abdul Rahman saying talks between Umno and PAS in Terengganu may have come to a dead end after PAS rejected Umno’s proposal on a seat distribution.

Tajuddin told FMT that he had met several Umno state chiefs about two months ago and Terengganu Umno state leaders had agreed to work with PAS but with a condition.

“They wanted 16 state seats and four parliamentary seats,” he said, adding that there are 8 parliamentary seats in Terengganu.

That was the condition set by the state Umno to cooperate with PAS. “My understanding is that the condition may not have been entertained by PAS,” he added.

Terengganu Umno chief Ahmad Said was quoted this week as saying that the party will contest all seats, both state and parliamentary, and that there was now no cooperation with the PAS chapter.

Tajuddin said PAS should not have a “take all mentality” in its stronghold of Kelantan. “They have to be gentlemen enough to be a partner (with Umno) and give a fair share of seats.”

He said Johor Umno had been initially willing to give PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin a chance to contest in his home seat Pagoh, as a local boy made good.

However, divisional chiefs had refused to give up the Pagoh state seat to PPBM.

In Perak, Selangor and Kedah, Tajuddin said there are no problems between Umno and PAS as both parties look for a common stand in all the states.

“We hope to work with PAS through Muafakat Nasional but in certain states they could have their own reasons for not working together,” he added.

But political analyst Azmi Hassan said the close ties between PAS and PPBM is affecting its relationship with Umno. “We may see the party getting more adamant with Umno when it comes to seat distribution,” said Azmi.

Cooperation between Umno and PAS may falter if PAS decides to cooperate in one state and snub the party in other states.

Azmi feels Umno and PAS may still try to mend ties but it will depend on which party was willing to sacrifice more in Muafakat Nasional, a coalition formalised in September 2019 to fight the then ruling PH coalition. - FMT