‘Chill’, Muslims won’t be split by lack of political cooperation, Shabery tells PAS

 

Ahmad Shabery Cheek has reminded PAS that it was the Islamic party which chose Perikatan Nasional over Barisan Nasional. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Shabery Cheek says that the Muslim community will not be divided by the lack of political cooperation between the party and PAS.

He said this in response to PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man who said uniting the ummah was more important than political alliances.

The comment from the PAS leader comes amid renewed talks about the fate of Muafakat Nasional (MN), the political alliance formed in September 2019 between Umno and PAS.

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“Chill, relax,” Shabery said, adding that the unity of the ummah was indeed greater than political cooperation among parties.

He said while he agreed with Tuan Ibrahim’s statement, he noted that PAS had chosen Perikatan Nasional (PN) to go against Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 15th general election (GE15).

“Let BN be with BN. We (PAS and BN) have already faced each other in Melaka and Johor. No hard feelings. Nothing personal,” he said in a statement.

He added that Bersatu is looking to form political alliances “under the big tent” to win the prime ministership again.

“Hopefully, PAS will not be left behind. If they are lucky, PAS will remain in the government.”

Umno had decided last year that it would not cooperate with Bersatu in GE15.

This was despite both parties being in the current federal government.

On Saturday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had described PAS as “two-faced” and dismissed the possibility of working with the Islamic party again in GE15 as partners under MN.

However, Tuan Ibrahim said the situation differed according to different states, pointing out that the Umno chapter in Selangor seemed to be going against the party president’s stand on the issue.

Last week, Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar said the two parties had decided to cooperate in Selangor through MN, with the Islamic party said to be snubbing it’s ties with Bersatu under PN in the state.

Zahid has often spoken against reviving the alliance, while PAS leaders have tried to keep MN alive.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan recently said MN was the best formula to unite the Muslim ummah.

Umno and PAS leaders have been at odds for a year over the future of the MN alliance, formed to challenge Pakatan Harapan, which was then in power.

Zahid and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang later disagreed about whether to accept Bersatu into the alliance. - FMT