Sanusi questions Umno’s sincerity after call for T’ganu polls

PAS election director Sanusi Nor has cast doubt on Umno’s sincerity about establishing Malay political unity, after Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan’s call for a snap election in Terengganu.

Sanusi said the Islamic party’s sincerity about the Malay unity agenda did not need to be tested, unlike Umno, which he pointed out did not give up any of its seats to PAS in the Johor or Negeri Sembilan state polls.

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director said Umno’s “sincerity” so far had been merely to enable a transfer of votes and retain the seats it currently holds, Berita Harian reported.

“Which Umno seats were given to PAS in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls? Or which Umno seats will be given to us in Melaka?

“Umno’s sincerity so far has only been about defending what they have. Then they fight for seats they don’t hold yet, such as those held by Pakatan Harapan,” Sanusi was quoted as saying.

Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, had called for a snap election in PAS-led Terengganu to prove the Islamic party’s sincerity about Malay unity.

Mohamad said if Umno and PAS could agree on a formula for seat allocations in Terengganu, a similar approach could be adopted for the next general election.

Umno was wiped out in the 2023 Terengganu state election, winning none of the 27 seats it contested.

PN, meanwhile, made a clean sweep of all 32 seats – PAS with 27 and Bersatu with five – leaving Terengganu without an opposition for the first time.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had rejected Mohamad’s call, saying elections should not be used as testing grounds or a tool to measure the sincerity of political cooperation.

He said a snap election was unnecessary as the Terengganu government was stable and performing well.