PAS puts cold marriage with Umno on ice - but hopes to rekindle the spark

 

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has many analogies to describe the cold relationship between his party and Umno as they continued to drift apart in one election after another.

"In principle, even though it does not appear alive, it isn't dead too," Tuan Ibrahim (above) told journalists after a ceramah at the PN election operations centre in Simpang Jeram, Johor, last night.

This prompted journalists to ask him if this was a case of the walking dead.

"If it is a corpse, then it would be dead. But it isn't dead yet, so it's not a corpse yet," Tuan Ibrahim said.

He also presented an analogy to indicate that PAS still harboured some hope that its relationship with Umno could somehow be repaired.

"It's akin to winter in another country. During winter, we see the trees appear as if they are dead. But when the new season arrives, they come alive - that's our hope," he said.

‘Muhyiddin’s efforts also of no avail’

Tuan Ibrahim said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, under the PN banner, had made efforts to engage Umno but to no avail.

"There was no answer, so it's okay. We will continue to uphold PN. We're not going to talk about Muafakat Nasional for now," he said. Muafakat Nasional is the name of the pact between Umno and PAS.

"For Muafakat Nasional, we close the file for now," he added.

Asked if this pact was dying, Tuan Ibrahim replied: "It's not in the intensive care unit yet."

He acknowledged that the Umno-PAS joint committee had not met for months. However, Tuan Ibrahim added that at a personal level, he still has a good relationship with Umno leaders.

"During the cabinet meetings, Umno and PN, including us, also support the prime minister's leadership. We work for the people, regardless of the parties we belong to.

"In that context, the (Umno-PAS) relationship is good," he said.

Umno and PAS have continued to drift apart due to PAS's insistence to work with Bersatu, which is an Umno splinter party.

PN is a coalition comprising Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Star and SAPP while Umno leads BN along with its MCA, MIC and PBRS partners.

BN has been making political manoeuvres to weaken Bersatu and PN, even though they are part of the federal government.

The goal is for BN to build its momentum in order to gain dominance in the next general election so that it can govern alone.

BN and PN are contesting against each other in the Johor state election.

In Simpang Jeram, PN is represented by Zafrul Salleh of PAS while BN is fielding Umno's Lokman Md Don. The incumbent is Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub, who is defending the seat under the Pakatan Harapan banner. The fourth contender is Pejuang's Mahaizal Mahmor. - Mkini