AS ties between UMNO and PAS deteriorate, a leader from the Islamist party reminded its detractors that the Islamist party was not dependent on anyone for its political survival.
“PAS’ aim is to abide by God’s command as opposed to working for material benefits and one’s self-interest.
“We welcome anyone who wants to cooperate with us. If you don’t want us, it’s entirely up to you and we won’t force anyone,” its spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin was reported as saying by Harakah Daily.
The ties between Muafakat Nasional partners, UMNO and PAS, went south following the dissolution of the Johor state assembly.
Both the Islamist party and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) accused the nationalist party of not consulting them before dissolving the state assembly.
Irate by UMNO’s four seats offer to PAS, the latter’s president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang accused the former of being “ungrateful”, claiming it was his party that “nursed UMNO back to life” following its defeat in the last general election.
Yesterday, UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan rubbished any notion that PAS had helped his party to rejuvenate in an interview with Astro Awani.
“UMNO was not saved by anyone else. Both UMNO and PAS ‘sank’ together in GE14. BN won 79 seats in GE14. Then the (current) Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties left BN. But we were still left with 55 seats.
“Today, (after several defections) BN still has 42 seats, which is the largest bloc in the Dewan Rakyat. So, I think Hadi got it wrong,” the Rantau state assemblyman was reported as saying.
On that note, Hashim said that one should not be surprised if the results of the upcoming Johor state election force UMNO to reach out to PAS again.
“I believe the results of past elections conducted would have opened the eyes of many. As for us, our strategy remains the same and we don’t rely on polls alone,” he remarked. – Feb 1, 2022.
(Photo credit: Harakah Daily)
