Give Umno one-third of seats in PAS-held states, says Nur Jazlan

PAS should allocate one-third of the seats in the four states it governs to Umno if the two parties want to continue working together in future elections, says Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

Nur Jazlan said PAS did not need to contest every seat in Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis, arguing that a two-thirds share would be enough, pointing out that BN’s two-thirds majority in Johor in 2022 had boosted investor confidence.

Nur Jazlan, who is also Pulai Umno chief, contrasted this with Terengganu, which he described as rich in oil, but “nobody says foreign investors are flocking there”.

“So PAS needs to consider this. It does not need to contest 100% of the seats, only two-thirds. If it wants to strengthen its position, what is wrong with allocating one-third of the seats in those states to its Umno partners?

“That would demonstrate that PAS has confidence in Malay unity and is sincere in pursuing it,” Utusan Malaysia quoted him as saying.

PAS won all 27 seats it contested in Terengganu, 37 of the 45 seats in Kelantan, 21 of 36 seats in Kedah and nine seats in Perlis.

Umno and PAS have gradually renewed their political cooperation, beginning with an indirect understanding to avoid clashes in Johor before evolving into an informal electoral pact in Negeri Sembilan.

The two parties are now discussing possible electoral cooperation in the upcoming Melaka state election. Leaders from both parties have also attended each other’s general assemblies.

On concerns that cooperation with PAS could alienate Chinese voters, Nur Jazlan said Umno could play a key role in improving PAS’s image among non-Malays.

“The main problem non-Malay voters have with PAS is that they are not confident they will be given the freedom to live their lives.

“I think PAS can be flexible, too. But its flexibility will be influenced by its cooperation with Umno. So Umno plays a big role in softening PAS’s image in the future.”

Nur Jazlan said his own research showed Chinese support for Umno in Johor had returned to about 20%, which he attributed to confidence in the state leadership’s handling of the economy and jobs.

“They look at whether a political party can provide them with a better life and greater well-being, and will vote for it if it can. This is despite the many prejudices associated with parties such as Umno and PAS,” he added.

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