BARISAN Nasional or Umno has been very clever by getting PAS to leave the opposition coalition, said Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan today.

The absence of PAS from Pakatan Harapan (PH) makes the task of winning Putrajaya more difficult.

“Traditionally, the battle for the Malay vote is between Umno and PAS. If PAS is not around it makes Umno’s task much easier,” Wan Saiful told a forum in Shah Alam today.

“Straight fights are crucial but by pushing PAS out of PH, it will create three-cornered fights,” he added.

The Ideas chief said Umno’s strategy was very clever as it did not need to court PAS into BN either.

“All they need is for PAS not to be in PH. Although, PAS has repeatedly denied it is cozying up or joining BN or Umno, the allegations that they are doing so is sufficient to cause the split,” said Wan Saiful during the “Pakatan Harapan vs Barisan Nasional Review” forum.

“PAS will be a spoiler in the next general election and Umno understands PAS better than PH and is encouraging it,” he added.

When asked by moderator Nazri Kahar from Astro Awani if PAS will change, Wan Saiful said he doesn’t see it yet.

“Maybe, if politically rational people in PAS steps up, they will choose a side. But I don’t see it yet.”

Wan Saiful, who joined PAS in 1997, said that people have to understand the Islamist party to figure out their motivations.

“I was drawn to PAS in Form 4 because they were the only political party which picked Islam as its ideology. And politics to them was only a vehicle to carry Islam.

“PAS doesn’t just want to win elections or seats. Their agenda is to carry an Islamic message, they way they have interpreted it.

“Efforts to make PAS a progressive party will only fail because they are a conservative party at heart,” said Wan Saiful.

He said that the current PAS has returned to its conservative roots and doesn’t care whether it wins or not.

“PAS will only be a third party between BN and PH and BN will win more seats in the next general elections,” said Wan Saiful. – July 26, 2017.