PAS sticks with PN logo as Umno's courtship hits brick wall

 

Umno’s courtship of PAS has met a setback after PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang announced that the Islamist party will stick with the Perikatan Nasional logo in the Malacca state election.

“The PAS central working committee meeting at the PAS headquarters approved on Nov 1 the use of the PN logo in the Malacca polls.

“The decision was made considering the guidance provided by the PAS Syura Council, which convened on Oct 31,” Hadi said in a statement.

PN comprises Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Star and SAPP. However, Star and SAPP are Sabah-based and won’t be involved in the Malacca polls.

Umno aims to take out Bersatu in the Malacca polls but is still hopeful that PAS will eventually abandon PN in favour of a pact with Umno.

Umno had tried to convince PAS to enter a pact with the condition that Islamist party ditches the PN banner and used its own logo.

Some within PAS also favour cooperation with Umno over Bersatu and have privately expressed discontent with Hadi’s direction.

However, none has overtly criticised Hadi, who remains a powerful figure in the party.

Prior to the decision announced by Hadi, lobbying had continued up until the last minute.

PAS strategist Mohd Zuhdi Marsuki, for example, had contradicted PN chairperson and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement that PAS will be using PN’s logo.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man even suggested that all parties adopt PAS' logo but this was downplayed by Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin.

The debate had prompted Muhyiddin to advise PAS to consider its choice of allies carefully and yesterday, Hadi finally made the party’s choice clear. - Mkini