MID-RANKING PAS and Umno officials urge caution on the unity government mooted by Umno’s top leader, citing the plan’s implications on the allocation of state administrative posts.

Grassroots leaders in Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang and Perlis agree to the idea, in principle, but urge more discussions.

Umno acting president Mohamad Hasan proposed forming “unity governments” in Terengganu and Kelantan, which are ruled by PAS, and Pahang and Perlis, which are administered by Barisan Nasional.

But leaders on the ground want briefings and discussions between the party’s top leaders and the grassroots to get maximum buy-in among ordinary members.

The idea, if implemented properly, could also pave the way for greater cooperation between both parties in the 15th general election.

“There should be no rush to do this,” said Mustafa Ali, a former PAS secretary-general, MP and veteran Terengganu PAS leader.

Mustafa is also the only surviving PAS leader who had served in a BN government when the Islamist party was part of the former ruling coalition from 1974 to 1978.

“PAS needs to consider the idea from a wider scope. It cannot just be about Umno but the interests of the nation,” said Mustafa, a former deputy minister of environment and energy in the Abdul Razak Hussein BN government.

Even if PAS and Umno formed a pact to contest GE15, the two parties cannot win enough parliamentary seats to form a government, Mustafa said.

“We would win the largest number of seats between us but not enough to form the government. We need other component members who represent the other communities in the country in order to win enough seats.”

Mustafa appeared to echo PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who said the idea was premature as PAS was also tied to Bersatu, a component party in the Pakatan Harapan federal government.

“This is what PAS is fighting for – Islam Bumiputera. We are not tied to Umno alone, but also to Bersatu, who are in the government, including Gagasan Sejahtera, which already merged with PAS, as well as other Islamic pressure groups,” he said.

Deputy Kedah Umno chief Othman Aziz said the idea needs more discussion before it can be implemented in all states.

“A unity government or an opposition pact can strengthen our cooperation in the long term ahead of GE15.

“But it’s not easy to implement in certain states, as it involves a lot of factors that need to be studied,” Othman told The Malaysian Insight.

Deputy Pahang Umno chief Hasan Arifin said details, such as the distribution of government posts, need to be worked out, before the plan can be realised.

Hasan said there needs to also be an understanding on how state governments are formed after the elections.

“But with this type of cooperation, it will make it easier to work together in the elections.”

Paya Besar PAS division chief Mohd Tarmizi Yahaya said ordinary members will accept whatever the top leaders decide as long as it benefits the party.

“We have seen that the decision to work with Umno was the right one as it brought together Malays and strengthened the Islamic struggle,” said Tarmizi, who is also Panching assemblyman in Pahang. – March 11, 2019.