NON-MUSLIM Barisan Nasional components MCA and MIC have no problem accepting political cooperation with Islamist party PAS, says BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Umno president said any cooperation the BN lynchpin party had with PAS would not solely be for the sake of advancing Islam but to adapt to the country’s new political landscape, where an effective and united opposition bloc was needed to keep the Pakatan Harapan federal government in check.

He said all BN parties understood this, including Chinese component MCA and Indian party MIC.

“It’s no problem for MCA, MIC and MyPPP to understand this,” he said, referring to the other party left in the BN coalition.

“I’ve held several talks with the MCA president and leadership, they are very mature and rational.

“Even though this cooperation involves matters concerning Islam, we will not sideline other religions,” Zahid said after attending the opening of the PAS annual congress in Kuala Terengganu today.

Zahid and other Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders from MIC attended the congress where PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang declared that PAS was open to working with “everyone”.

Zahid said more discussions, however, were needed and had to be held in stages, when asked if PAS and Umno were already planning a formal alliance to contest the 15th general election.

“At present, our cooperation is in Parliament. Umno, BN and PAS collaborate in clusters to keep each ministry in check.”

MCA lost in all but one parliamentary seat in the May 9 general election, while MIC has only 2 federal seats. Umno has 51.

Following its dismal performance in GE14, BN, which had up to 14 parties in its stable, lost its component parties in Sabah and Sarawak which have either joined Pakatan Harapan, formed new blocs or stayed independent. – September 15, 2018.