“It is better to stay together. If we stay together, we are not only going to win 100% (seats contested) but even a few seats uncontested,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He likened Umno’s cooperation with PN, which is led by Bersatu and includes PAS, to Barisan Nasional-Umno winning in the tiny state of Perlis in past elections.

“The formula of how we win in Perlis all the time is very simple. We make more friends than enemies. So, we end up with more friends,” the Arau MP said.

Shahidan has been an Umno strongman in Perlis for years, holding the Arau parliamentary seat from 1986 to 1995, before going for a state seat, through which he became the state’s chief minister until 2008.

He contested in Arau again in the 2013 general election and defended the seat one more time in the 2018 polls.

However, he is now at odds with the Umno leadership over its decision, formalised at the party general assembly on March 28, to end co-operation with Bersatu for the next general election.

Umno reaffirmed its staunch opposition to working with Anwar Ibrahim or DAP.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also said the party would contest under the BN banner and use the familiar scales logo.

Bersatu is the party of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and, though smaller than Umno, leads the federal government coalition.

As ties between Umno and Bersatu have soured since last year with talk of Umno pulling its support from the PN government growing more intense, Shahidan has repeatedly said Umno ought to preserve its political cooperation with Bersatu.

Last month, Umno finally axed him as Perlis chief, a post held since his menteri besar days, and he was immediately replaced by Perlis Menteri Besar Azlan Man.

Perlis has been a BN stronghold for decades but PKR made its first dent in GE13, winning the Indera Kayangan state seat.

In the 2018 general election, BN retained power in the state, but by five fewer seats. Three seats went to PKR and two to PAS, the latter with which Umno later formed the Muafakat Nasional pact.

Also in 2018, BN lost one of Perlis’ three parliamentary seats, Kangar, to PKR.

The goal for Perlis Umno is to reclaim seats lost to PKR, but Umno’s national leadership does not want Bersatu’s help, while Shahidan, whom the grassroots see as a figure who can unite Umno with Bersatu and PAS on the ground, is no longer leading the state chapter.

Padang Besar youth chief Noor Hairi Noor Mohammed said Umno should continue its cooperation with Bersatu and PAS, as together, the three Malay-Muslim parties will be formidable.

“If Shahidan is not involved (in GE15) then Perlis Umno might deteriorate in the next general election, because PAS and Bersatu are more comfortable working with him.”

Hairi added Umno and PAS could probably gain complete control over Perlis, but Bersatu would bring “added value”.

However, taking a different view is the Umno Youth chief in Arau, Shahidan’s constituency.

Atif Syed Abu Bakar said that they don’t need Bersatu in the next general elections.

“PAS has the strength and if they join our BN coalition, then we will be strong, but not Bersatu.

“We have never lost Perlis in previous general elections, even before Shahidan. We won two-thirds majority even under the previous leadership.

“So, no matter who is at the helm, Perlis Umno will be able to get two thirds majority (without Bersatu’s help).” – May 6, 2021.