Umno-PAS partnership now out in the open, says Mahathir

PETALING JAYA— The United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) are no longer having a covert partnership behind closed doors, but are now openly allies after coming out of the “room”, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Friday (Sept 7).

Tun Dr Mahathir said the partnership of the former two political foes has become a “reality”, describing it as something which they had previously try to keep hidden.

“The thing which they once hid. Previously they cooperated but it was in the room only, and now they have come out from the room, we know lah,” he told reporters after chairing the ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting.

“Even when they were in the room, we knew.”

He said this after leaders from both Umno and PAS said they will attend each other's general assemblies, in a further sign of warming relations between the two entities.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said his party has received an invitation from the Islamist party to attend the latter's assembly in Kuala Terengganu next weekend.

“God willing, I will attend. Our deputy president will also attend, so will our vice-presidents, secretary-general, youth chief, women chief and Puteri chief to show our moral support for PAS and its leadership,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying at a PAS rally for the Seri Setia by-election campaign on Thursday night.

At the same time, the former ruling party has invited PAS leaders to attend its general assembly on Sept 29 and 30.

The Seri Setia by-election will see a straight fight between Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Halimey Abu Bakar and PAS’ Dr Halimah Ali.

Umno has given PAS its approval to contest the Selangor seat even though it traditionally belonged to Umno.

The former ruling party has also actively campaigned for PAS in Seri Setia.

Ties between PAS and Umno have warmed since 2016, after former prime minister Najib Razak urged the Islamist party to work with his party in what was seen as an attempt to align the Malay vote ahead of the next general election.

PAS supported Mr Zahid's appointment as the Opposition leader in Parliament.

Earlier this year, PAS’ senior leaders were present at a ceremony where Najib sent an aid flotilla off to Myanmar to aid Rohingya refugees.

Putrajaya also backed a controversial Private Member’s Bill tabled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to amend the Syariah courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 aimed at enhancing the power of the Syariah

And on December last year, Umno and PAS rallied to protest against United States President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

Mr Zahid confirmed  that ties between the two traditional rivals are strengthening, noting that the Seri Setia by-election is the beginning of a political cooperation between Umno and PAS.

“If PAS on its own can defend Kelantan and Terengganu, then God willing, if it works with Umno towards the next general election, we can get many more states and even Putrajaya,” he said.

PAS central research director Mohd Zuhdi Marsuki said the party’s top leadership will hear the views of several representatives at its congress next week on the form of cooperation between two of the country’s largest Malay-Muslim political parties, before a decision is finally made.

Until then, any form of cooperation between PAS and Umno is centred on issues relating to the interest of Islam and Malays, as previously decided by the party's Syura Council of Scholars.

“Whether or not the cooperation (with Umno) will be closer, or it will be in the form of a coalition, this will be decided at the upcoming congress,”   he told The Malaysian Insight.

Mr Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, a member of the Syura council, said it was the right time for Umno and PAS to unite after their dismal performance at the May 9 general election.

“As much as Umno failed to defend itself, PAS also failed to defend itself. These two parties failed, which is why today we have come together,” he said. AGENCIES