IT DOES not matter who is the boss in the PAS-Umno pact, what is more important is that Malays and Muslims remaining united for the future of Malaysia, Umno grassroots members have said.

“It is not important who leads but what is important that the degree of unity among the people will leave a huge impact on the country’s political future,” said Port Dickson Umno division chief Mohd Faizal Ramli.

However, they have left the matter to party leaders to decide who should take the reins in the pact, as long as it is appropriate to the situation and place.

Faizal said in any democratic system the parties with the most seats were given the mandate to lead, to ensure stability within the coalition.

“The upcoming general election cannot be taken lightly although Pakatan Harapan is now facing its own set of issues,” he said when contacted by The Malaysian Insight.

Sepang division chief Noorazli Said added that whichever party that leads the pact has to adapt to the political culture of the particular division and state, because the set-up might not be the same.

“In places like Kelantan and Terengganu PAS can lead, whereas Umno should lead in the west coast states like Selangor, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan,” he said.

He added that neither party could dominate the other at this time, because each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

“PAS has no experience in administration, while Umno is still struggling with its internal issues and winning the people’s confidence. There should be tolerance within this community,” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno Sungai Petani division head Shahanim Mohamad Yusof said there was a pressing need to look in to race and religion, which is under threat, as opposed to who was going to take the reins.

He said PAS had nothing to worry about, because Umno – which governed the country for more than 60 years – had a good track record in maintaining racial and religious affairs, despite being the main component party in Barisan Nasional.

“We governed for 60 years and there were never issues like those we have seen in the past year under Pakatan Harapan,” he said.

PAS mursyidul am (spiritual leader) Hashim Jasin, said recently that any future political pact must be led by the Islamist party.

“PAS needs to be the leader, not a follower, of any political co-operation,” Hashim said in his speech to launch the annual assembly of PAS’s Dewan Ulama, the Islamist party’s wing of jurists and clerics.

PAS will ensure that the coalition fights for its Islamic principles, Hashim said, adding that the party had previously been involved in coalitions with varying ideologies and struggles.

The party allied with Umno to form Barisan Nasional in 1974, which used Malay unity as its ideology.

In the 1990 general election, it was part of the coalition called Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front with Parti Melayu Semangat 46 (S46), Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa), Hizbul Muslimin Malaysia (Hamim), dan Malaysian India Muslim Congress (Kimma).

PAS was also part of Pakatan Rakyat with PKR and DAP. – June 22, 2019.