Takiyuddin tells RoS why Bersatu was frozen out of polls talks

PAS excluded Bersatu, a fellow Perikatan Nasional component, from talks about preparations for the Negeri Sembilan state election due to its criticisms of the Islamic party, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said.

He said he told the Registrar of Societies that Bersatu’s decision to contest under its own logo was another reason the party was not included in the discussions.

“If they did not want to use the PN logo, why should we call them again?” he was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying. “I told the RoS officer that PAS had several reasons for not involving Bersatu, including its actions that led to strained ties within PN.”

Takiyuddin said this during a ceramah tonight, revealing that RoS questioned him for four hours following Bersatu’s complaint over its exclusion from the discussions.

He also said that PAS was aware of Umno’s strained relationship with Bersatu and that Umno had expressed willingness to work with PAS in Negeri Sembilan.

Takiyuddin said PAS would continue making decisions based on what it believed was best for the party and its wider political cooperation.

PAS cut ties with Bersatu in June, saying it would explore forming a new political pact to face upcoming elections with the goal of “uniting the ummah”. Party president Abdul Hadi Awang said his party had to sever ties with Muhyiddin Yassin’s party as Bersatu had become greedy for seats and power.