No seat requests yet, says Sanusi after Kedah Umno-Pas meeting

ALOR STAR: Kedah Pas and Umno are focusing on creating a positive environment before holding more serious discussions on political cooperation between the two parties.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said Umno had not made any specific requests, including on seat allocations.

"It is still too early to discuss seat allocations. Umno has not asked for anything yet.

"There has been no specific request as we are still at an early stage.

"There will be follow-up discussions later. Once there is a decision at the central level on cooperation between the two parties, we will meet again," said Sanusi, who is also Pas central election director.

He said this after receiving a courtesy visit from the Kedah Umno leadership at the Kedah Menteri Besar's official residence at Seri Mentaloon yesterday afternoon.

Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Alor Star Umno division chief and former Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah led the delegation.

Pas was represented by Kedah commissioner and Pas Central Ulama Council chief Datuk Ustaz Ahmad Yahya, deputy commissioner II Dr Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurazi and Kedah secretary Senator Ustaz Musoddaq Ahmad.

Sanusi said the meeting should not be interpreted as the start of formal Pas-Umno cooperation in Kedah, but as an initial step towards creating a more positive environment between the two parties.

"This is not formal cooperation. We need to create a positive environment first. There needs to be a positive environment before we can move on to further discussions.

"This is part of the process. It was a casual discussion, a courtesy visit by Kedah Umno to Kedah Pas and a conversation about the current political scenario," he said.

Sanusi said the meeting also gave leaders from both parties an opportunity to share their political experiences and discuss Kedah's future.

He described it as a meeting between the "old hands" – experienced leaders who understood the ins and outs of Kedah politics.

"These are people with experience and sufficient understanding who know the ins and outs of Kedah. So, we had a chat.

"I am grateful to all the Umno veterans who visited the official residence of the Menteri Besar.

"We chatted, shared experiences from the past and discussed our expectations for the future," he said.