Umno leader: Seat negotiation with Bersatu is complex

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said seat allocation negotiations within Umno are almost complete. He said the next stage would involve BN, followed by PAS and then Bersatu.

"Within Umno, it's almost settled, but we have not decided within BN. We have not negotiated with PAS. There is still time. I don't foresee a problem for BN and seat allocations with PAS.

"However, what is a bit complex is (seat negotiations) with Bersatu," said Mohamad (above) according to Sinar Harian.

Mohamad said his party hopes to wrap up negotiations by the end of September.

For now, Umno, PAS, and Bersatu are committed to entering the next general election as a coalition to avoid competing against each other.

However, relationships between the three parties are complicated.

Bersatu is leading the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition which officially does not include Umno. Meanwhile, Umno is in an official pact called Muafakat Nasional with PAS.

PAS is officially part of PN, while Umno is leading another coalition known as BN with MCA, MIC, and PBRS.

So far, it has been established that BN's ground rules for inter-party seat talks are as follows:

1) BN must field candidates for all 51 seats which it won in 2018;

2) BN will not field candidates for 13 seats which Bersatu won in 2018; and

3)  BN will field candidates for any seats which PKR, DAP, and Amanah won in 2018 where BN came in second.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob had been charged by the party to lead inter-party negotiations. - Mkini