Is PAS’ proposal a ploy?
“This also acts as a signal to Bersatu, where questions will be raised on why PAS wants to work with Umno when Bersatu is still in Perikatan”
(MSN News) – After securing a landslide victory in the Kemaman by-election last Saturday, PAS surprisingly offered its old flame, Umno, an olive branch.
Unsurprisingly, the peace offering was swiftly snubbed by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Wednesday, who said their former partner should stop daydreaming.
Also not surprised by PAS’ offer were political analysts such as Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, who described it as a ploy to further weaken Umno.
“As they know Umno’s top leaders are adamant about rejecting PAS, they are appealing to Umno’s members to cast protest votes and eventually to support PAS’ interests in Islam and the Malay unity agenda,” said Sivamurugan of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Another analyst, Azmi Hassan, said PAS’ offer is also meant to destabilise the unity government of which Umno and the Barisan Nasional coalition it leads, is a member.
Azmi said that if Umno and Barisan Nasional MPs were to fall for the ploy and work again with PAS, the unity government would collapse.
“There will be a chain reaction from other parties retracting support and as I see it, the unity government will crumble,” added Azmi, who is a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research.
He doubts that PAS needs to work with Umno, given that the party has strong Malay support.
