PAS source: 30 winnable seats targeted, including 5 from Bersatu

 

PAS is aiming to get at least 30 winnable Parliament seats if it contests the 15th general election (GE15) as part of Perikatan Nasional (PN), according to a party source.

This was amid continued uncertainty over whether PAS will stay with PN or return to Umno’s side - with the Islamist party preferring to have both as allies.

The PAS source revealed that the first round of negotiations indicated that the party will get at least 25 of those seats - mostly pitting it against Umno.

However, the remaining five seats PAS wants belong to Bersatu.

“Both Bersatu and PAS want these five seats,” he said.

The five seats in contention were gained by Bersatu through defections from Umno and PKR, namely Mersing, Tasek Gelugor, Bagan Serai, Bukit Gantang, and Bandar Tun Razak.

Meanwhile, a breakdown sighted by Malaysiakini showed that PAS is targeting nine seats in Kelantan, Terengganu (5), Kedah (4), Perlis (2), Perak (2), Pahang (2), Sarawak (2), Penang (1), and Johor (1).

These seats are mostly Malay-majority rural constituencies.

Earlier this month, PAS election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said at the party’s muktamar that they aim to contest 80 parliamentary seats and win at least half.

In the last general election, PAS contested 155 seats and won 18.

At present, the party is at a crossroads. PAS has continued to engage with Umno as part of its ummah unity agenda.

However, Bersatu has declared Umno’s BN coalition as their main enemy in the next general election, while PAS wants the target to be Pakatan Harapan.

PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin said a decision on which road the party will take is expected to be made next week. - Mkini