Umno prefers to negotiate with PAS rather than PN - Asyraf

 

UMNO AGM | Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party would prefer to focus negotiations with PAS rather than Perikatan Nasional as a whole for the upcoming general election.

He said this is based on views expressed during the debates on the president's policy speech by delegates at the annual general assembly yesterday and today at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTC KL).

However, he said the matter is not yet an official party decision because election negotiations have not officially begun.

"If we look at the debates and views from delegates, there is an inclination for us to focus on negotiations with the PAS leadership rather than looking at it in the context of Perikatan Nasional itself.

"In this context, of course, the leadership will take into account the views voiced during the Umno AMG," Asyraf (above) said at a press conference at the media room in WTC KL.

Earlier today, a Terengganu Umno delegate, Kuala Nerus chief Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman, warned president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to be cautious when negotiating with "the other side".

Although he did not name the party in question, the former Terengganu menteri besar was believed to be referring to the ongoing cooperation between Umno and PAS, raising concerns regarding a repeat of the loss of all its seats in the state, as in the last general election.

A similar call was put forth yesterday by Perak delegate, Ipoh Barat deputy chief Iqbal Jamaluddin, who said PAS would likely want any cooperation agreement to prevent BN from expanding into states already held by the Islamist party.

‘Wait until dissolution’

Commenting further, Asyraf said negotiations for the next general election will only be determined after the dissolution of Parliament, as was done for the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls.

"For now, it is too early to conclude the form of cooperation because formal negotiations have not begun.

"As mentioned by the president, wait until dissolution happens, and only then will negotiations begin," he explained.

When the time comes, he said, party leadership will form a negotiation committee to determine the form of cooperation.

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As for the possibility of Umno no longer cooperating with Pakatan Harapan in the upcoming election, Asyraf said it is still too early to conclude.

He said Umno still abides by the agreement establishing the unity government.

"As long as we have not reached the end of the term or the election, as long as the foundation stands, we will not use a backdoor or change this government just to change the prime minister," he added.

According to Asyraf, Umno's stance is that voters should be given the opportunity to determine a new mandate when the election comes.

He said the grand ideas the party intends to bring to the people must receive a clear mandate from the electorate, rather than being implemented without first securing that mandate.

Increasingly tense relationship

BN’s relationship with Harapan, its rival and reluctant federal coalition partner, has become increasingly tense in recent months.

The friction was fuelled by Johor BN’s decision to contest the state election on its own, which drew condemnation from Harapan.

On the difference between the terms "Madani government" and "unity government", Asyraf said using the Malaysia Madani concept is not an issue, but the current administration should continue to be referred to based on its founding agreement as the unity government.

This is because the agreement involved 18 parties and the government was not formed by a single party alone, he explained.

"At the initial stage, the government had two main components, BN and Harapan.

"When Anwar took the oath (as the prime minister), an agreement involving 18 parties was executed, and that agreement was named the 'Agreement on the Formation of the Malaysian Unity Government'," he said.

Asyraf also stressed that the political cooperation agreement only applies until the election, including when state legislative assemblies are dissolved, after which every party has the right to determine its own direction and coalition partners. - Mkini