BARISAN Nasional’s (BN) decision to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form the Pahang state government came about as PH’s offer came with no strings attached, revealed new Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
This was unlike negotiations with Perikatan Nasional (PN), which had preset terms for working together, he added.
“After the final result (of the general election) was released, I received a call from my friend Pahang PH chairman Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. He knew we were (left) hanging as no one party secured a simple majority,” said Wan Rosdy at a joint BN-PH ceramah in Rompin last night.
“He said PH was ready to work with BN without any preconditions to form the government for the sake of stability and prosperity.”
The Pahang state elections saw PN winning 17 seats, with BN claiming 16 and PH eight.
As none of the three coalitions secured enough seats to form the state government, the regent of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, consented to a government comprising BN and PH, with Wan Rosdy sworn in as menteri besar on Monday (Nov 28).
At the same time, Wan Rosdy said, PN had also reached out to him, and he had later sat down with PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and vice president Datuk Seri Idris Ahmad.
“The first thing I was told at the meeting was that PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had agreed to give me full ministership (in the Cabinet),” the Pahang BN chairman said.
PN wants crucial posts in return
In return, Wan Rosdy revealed that PN wanted to be given the posts of menteri besar and speaker of the state assembly as well as several state executive council positions.
However, PN later backtracked and offered BN the menteri besar post after they were informed that PH did not place any conditions to form the state government.
“I was shocked. The government had not been formed yet, so how can an offer (for positions) be made?” said Wan Rosdy.
“To me, this was not wanting to negotiate, but (their decisions) had already been made… as if I have agreed to request. There are 42 seats in the Pahang state assembly. If I went with them, there would be 22 votes in the state assembly, which can see to my elimination at any time
“So (if it happens) what will happen to the state government? We want to establish a state government because we want to continue our agenda to work and maintain stability and prosperity. There are many agendas to be done, not for politicking,” he pointed out.
Wan Rosdy said that after informing BN’s newly-appointed assemblymen of the offers, they unanimously agreed to work with PH to form the state government.
“Even before forming the government, they (PN) were already asking for a special committee office and keys to the community hall, among other things,” he said.
“So, you can imagine if they form the government … stability, prosperity and peace will only be their second or third priorities.”
In an article for the PAS party organ Harakah Daily yesterday, Tuan Ibrahim lamented the fact that Pahang BN had made an “unjust” offer that the PN coalition could not consider.
The PAS lawmaker said it was clear BN did not want to work with his coalition and that despite PN being the largest coalition in the Pahang state government with 17 seats, they were offered only one state executive councillor (exco) seat. – Dec 1, 2022
Main photo credit: The Edge Markets
