No ‘big brother’ in Umno-PAS talks, say leaders

Umno and PAS leaders today rejected Urimai chairman P Ramasamy’s warning about the two parties cooperating, saying there will be no “big brother” in any alliance between them.

Umno ulama council deputy chairman Khairuddin Aman Razali said any pact between Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS would not merely be about their political survival, but also the interests of the Malay and Muslim communities.

He described Ramasamy’s warning about the risks of such cooperation as an attempt to undermine efforts to foster Malay political unity.

“As for other issues involving seats, they require win-win negotiations as long as they do not disrupt the original purpose of the understanding.

“In all circumstances, Islam and the Malays will benefit,” he told FMT.

Khairuddin added that Umno-PAS negotiations were about mutual respect and compromise, not which party would be the “big brother”.

“There is no such thing as a ‘big brother’ in the negotiations. What matters is mutual respect and compromise.

“Malay and Muslim unity must also go beyond political parties to include NGOs and Muslim figures outside party circles,” he said.

PAS treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad said Ramasamy’s warning would not derail efforts to unite the Malays and Muslims, adding that Malay-Muslim unity should not be viewed solely from a political perspective as it also involved religious obligations.

He, too, dismissed the question of which party would become the “big brother” in the event of an alliance ahead of the next general election.

“The question of a ‘big brother’ does not arise because PAS and Umno each have their own strengths.

“Umno may be in the government, but PAS has more MPs. In terms of state assemblymen, PAS has 151 while Umno has 102, and both have menteris besar,” he said.

Iskandar said what mattered more was an understanding and relationship based on Islamic brotherhood.

Yesterday, Ramasamy warned Umno to consider the “biggest” risk of working with PAS in the next general election.

The former DAP leader said while Umno could gain an immediate electoral advantage from cooperation to prevent a split in the Malay vote, PAS could eventually overtake or even sideline BN in the Malay heartlands.

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