UMNO is prepared to face three-cornered fights if PAS chooses to work with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the coming general election, said Umno Secretary-General Ahmad Maslan.

“We don’t have any deadline for PAS to make their decision,” he told the press at the Umno annual general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

Ahmad said Umno had discussed the possibility of three-cornered fights taking place among state leaders as well.

“I have informed friends that our state leadership needs to stay close to PAS. Make it easy for the PAS leadership to continue with us,” he said.

Umno and PAS formed the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact in September 2019 when the two parties were still in opposition after Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the 14th general election.

By late February last year, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin pulled Bersatu out of PH to form a new government with Umno and PAS, as well as with the support of other parties from Sabah and Sarawak.

Bersatu and PAS then registered PN as a political party in early August 2020.

Umno, however, insisted that it would not join the new pact but will remain in Barisan Nasional.

Earlier today, Umno President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it was not too late for PAS to turn back after joining the PN coalition.

“Let’s not forget that we won seven by-elections after the Muafakat pact,” he said during his policy speech at the 2020 general assembly.

Zahid said that despite the six decades of acrimony, both parties had set aside their rivalry to sign the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact on September 14, 2019.

“But after joining the Perikatan National government, (PAS) had changed its political stance.

“Let me remind PAS that Umno only agreed to support the Perikatan Nasional government. But little did we know that a new coalition named Perikatan Nasional would be formed without Umno,” said the 68-year-old.

He said that Umno and PAS had initially agreed in MN not to join any political coalitions hastily.

“Umno is firm on this. And hence, it is not too late to come back to the Muafakat pact. We must be steadfast in this, as it will not benefit either Umno or PAS.

“We believe that the Muafakat will be supported and will allow Umno and Barisan Nasional to come back to lead the country again,” said Zahid. – March 28, 2021.