Tuan Ibrahim: Malay-Muslim unity greater cause than GE15 politics

 

PAS remains of the view that the unification of the Malay-Muslim community is of greater importance than the political alliances going into the next general election.

Its deputy president, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, said that while Umno and PAS were now in different coalitions, the party saw the need for unification within the framework signed through the Muafakat Nasional charter.

"It is good to read and re-appreciate what has been agreed. At that time, PAS and Umno felt there was a threat to the future of Malay-Muslims (under the Pakatan Harapan government), and we gathered against it," he told Berita Harian.

Tuan Ibrahim said that in the context of party politics, each party could do what it thinks is appropriate for its party, and this varies from one state to another.

"Selangor, Perak appear to be taking a different attitude from Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi)," said Tuan Ibrahim in an apparent reference to attempts by individual state leaderships to work together against Pakatan Harapan.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Yesterday, Zahid said that cooperation between Umno and PAS through Muafakat has to be set aside during the 15th general election (GE15).

The BN chairperson said this was due to the party having given enough space to PAS to agree on the matters contained in the Muafakat charter but had never materialised.

On Sept 14, 2019, the Muafakat charter was signed between Umno and PAS, which among others, agreed on forging cooperation by developing Islamic and Malay narratives without denying religious, racial, and cultural diversity as an axis to political stability, racial harmony, and national prosperity.

Zahid and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at the signing of the Muafakat charter in 2019

Tuan Ibrahim that PAS is confident that each party has its own direction and strategy ahead of the next GE

"We are still open to looking at this matter more seriously. Currently, PAS is part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition but will also continue with the agenda of urging the unification of the ummah to continue.

"We are confident that PN is providing a challenge to BN based on the results of the Malacca and Johor state elections," he said.

Yesterday, Umno Veterans Club secretary Mustapha Yaakub suggested that the party should officially terminate the cooperation with PAS in order to avoid misunderstanding about the status of the Muafakat pact.

He urged Zahid to release an official statement declaring the death of Muafakat. - Mkini