Don’t jump the gun on BN-PN seat allocation, Wawasan told

A Melaka PAS leader has criticised Wawasan for pre-empting Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) decision on the allocation of seats for the state election, saying the party, which recently joined the coalition, should respect its leadership and negotiation process.

Melaka PAS political committee member Kamarudin Sidek said no formal discussions on the matter had taken place between PN and Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Wawasan need not get ahead of itself and pre-empt a decision. Leave it to the PN leadership to decide.

“In fact, seat allocation has not even been discussed yet, so there is certainly no decision on it,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

Kamarudin, the Jasin PAS chief, was commenting on Wawasan vice-president Rahim Thamby Chik saying that PN would contest every seat in the Melaka election if it fails to reach an agreement with BN.

Rahim, who is also the Melaka Wawasan chief, said his party specifically wanted to contest the Bemban and Sungai Udang seats, regardless of whether PN forms an agreement with BN.

Both seats were previously won by Bersatu, which remains a PN component but has fallen out with the coalition’s chair, PAS.

Melaka BN chief Ab Rauf Yusoh yesterday asked parties interested in striking up an alliance with the coalition for the Melaka polls to be patient, as leaders from PN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) press BN for a decision.

PH election director Amirudin Shari has also urged BN to clarify whether it is interested in an alliance for the Melaka election.