PAKATAN Harapan (PH) can use Barisan Nasional’s (BN) dacing logo in the Terengganu state elections, state Umno information chief Nik Dir Nik Wan Ku said. 

He said Terengganu BN had no objection if PH – a former rival turned political ally – wanted to use the dacing logo in the state polls. 

“We haven’t discussed it officially, but BN has decided to use our logo for the state polls. 

“If PH candidates want to use the logo, it’s up to them. We accept it, no problem. Terengganu Umno will allow it,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously said BN candidates contesting in the state polls would use their own dacing symbol although the coalition and PH would compete as allies. 

Nik Dir denied media reports that Umno would neither accept PH candidates nor work with them. 

An earlier Utusan Malaysia report said the protest stemmed from the fact that Umno grassroots in the state could not accept working with PH, despite being partners in the federal unity government. 

A source told the Malay-language daily that objections had been raised at a state Umno meeting involving division chiefs last April.

Nik Dir said BN-Umno Terengganu had never raised the issue in any meeting. 

He admitted, however, there was some conflict regarding seat allocations in the initial discussion. 

“There is no official decision on seat distribution yet. It was just an informal discussion between BN and PH in the state. 

“That’s when we asked PH how many seats they wanted. They wanted 12 seats and named their candidates. 

“But state Umno chairman Ahmad Said said their candidates would lose their deposits if they contested in some of the seats.  

“That’s all that happened; we never said we wanted to protest because there is no final decision yet,” he said. 

Terengganu and five other states are set to hold elections sometime in June or July. – May 9, 2023.