Umno-Pas cooperation for GE15 unlikely, says Puad

(NST) – It is unlikely Pas will work with Umno in the 15th General Election, says Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi today.

This was because the Islamic party took part in signing a memorandum to the Agong, petitioning against the elections to be held this year due to expected floods during the monsoon season.

“The Pas muktamar has decided for the party to resume cooperation with Umno. (Its president Tan Sri Abdul) Hadi (Awang) supported the motion.

“Umno accepted with an open heart. Umno agreed (to this) openly, but with three conditions. Pas must exit from Perikatan Nasional (PN), cut ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), and must openly declare that the party agrees to the conditions set by Umno.

“But what had happened? Twelve Pas ministers including Bersatu leaders sent a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong asking that the 15th General Election not be held this year.

“This signals that Pas will not be cooperating with Umno,” he said in a Facebook post.

Puad claimed Pas was hesitant to sever ties with Bersatu, and that the party was worried Umno would be “more dominant” without Bersatu in the picture.

“Umno has placed those conditions because we don’t want to be lied to a second time.

“To Umno, Bersatu is a rival that wants to destroy us since they were still a ‘baby’,” he added.

Pas is set to decide today which camp it wants to sit in for GE15.

Pas is currently part of the Bersatu-led PN along with Sabah STAR, SAPP and Gerakan.

“Umno is a political party. Bersatu is also a political party. Who says Pas isn’t a political party? But Umno is wiser in dealing with differences in opinion among its leaders as compared to Pas.

“Basically, Umno will not get burnt twice,” added Puad.