Statements on pacts must reflect PN’s collective stance, Hadi told

 Negeri Sembilan Bersatu chief says PN has never discussed cooperation with BN.

Negeri Sembilan Bersatu chief Hanifah Abu Baker said PAS must align its position with coalition partners in Perikatan Nasional. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

A Bersatu leader has called on PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to ensure that all his statements on electoral cooperation reflect Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) collective position.

Negeri Sembilan Bersatu chief Hanifah Abu Baker said PAS’s negotiations with Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of the Negeri Sembilan state election could only represent PN if all PN components approved them.

Stating that cooperation with BN had never been discussed at the PN Supreme Council, Hanifah said PAS must align its position with its coalition partners.

“We have no issue if PAS is negotiating on its own behalf. But if it is representing PN, then it must obtain the consent and approval of all component parties,” he told FMT.

“When we contest under the PN logo, we represent all component parties – not one individual party.”

Hadi yesterday said PAS had agreed in principle to allow BN to defend the 14 seats it previously held in Negeri Sembilan, while PAS would contest the three seats it previously won.

However, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi later denied that Umno and PAS had a seat-sharing agreement ahead of the Negeri Sembilan polls, warning against reading too much into statements from PAS leaders as he said the party’s position could shift with political developments.

On PN’s preparations for the Negeri Sembilan state election on Aug 1, Hanifah said seat allocation negotiations among component parties are still ongoing and expected to be finalised within the next day or two.

He said that while Negeri Sembilan Bersatu had requested to contest 15 seats, the number was still subject to discussions with its coalition partners.

The coalition contested the Johor election amid a crisis following PAS’s decision to end its cooperation with Bersatu early last month.

PN – which lost all 33 seats it contested in last Saturday’s Johor polls – also comprises Gerakan, the Malaysian Indian People’s Party, Pejuang and Parti Wawasan Negara. - FMT