Umno’s call for election in PAS-led state stems from distrust

Umno’s proposal for PAS to call for an election in Terengganu to prove its sincerity in the push for Malay unity could be attributed to its distrust of the Islamic party, an analyst said.

These trust issues, according to Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, likely stemmed from remarks made by PAS leaders at its recent muktamar on the post of prime minister and seats to contest.

PAS declared it wanted to defend seats it won in previous elections, basing its claim on the incumbency formula, and leading the federal government as well as revealing it had a candidate for prime minister, he said.

The remark could have irked Umno, Mazlan said.

“I think Tok Mat’s statement implies that Umno does not fully trust PAS,” he told FMT, referring to Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad had on Saturday mooted the idea, adding that if the two parties could agree on a formula for seat negotiations in Terengganu, a similar approach could be adopted for the next general election.

Mohamad’s PAS counterpart, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man shot down the idea on Sunday.

Mazlan felt that Umno was asking “too much” of PAS by suggesting that an election be held to prove its sincerity.

“As it stands the two parties have not formalised their partnership and only consider whatever pact they have as an ‘understanding’,” he said.

Separately, Lau Zhe Wei of International Islamic University Malaysia said Umno is aware it would not gain seats if the incumbency formula was used in a PAS-Umno partnership in any election, especially in Terengganu where PAS and its Perikatan Nasional partner Bersatu hold all 32 state and eight parliamentary seats.

However, Lau cautioned that Mohamad’s suggestion would backfire, as questions would be posed regarding Umno’s commitment to the Malay unity agenda in Melaka, where Barisan Nasional has already declared its intentions to defend the 21 seats it won in the 2021 state elections.

PAS failed to win any seat in the 28-seat Melaka assembly.

“If we were to use the same principle in Melaka, shouldn’t Umno make way for PAS in some seats?” he said, adding that Umno could not have its cake and eat it too.

“Giving up seats are among the critical parts (that would factor in) how Umno and PAS go into negotiation (for the Melaka polls),” Lau added.

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