PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will campaign in Semenyih for Barisan Nasional candidate Zakaria Hanafi, said an Umno Supreme Council member.

This rubbishes Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that PAS has agreed not to support Umno-BN in the March 2 by-election.

“Yes, he (Hadi) will come down,” Tajuddin Abdul Rahman told reporters in Bukit Mahkota today.

He did not give details, saying only Hadi is expected to campaign in Bukit Mahkota.

The PAS president is also expected to share the stage with Umno acting president Mohamad Hasan, said Sg Buloh Umno division chief Megat Firdaus Megat Junid.

“We are still (deciding) on one or two places.”

Dr Mahathir made the claim after a meeting with Hadi, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan on Friday.

The prime minister had said it was agreed at the meeting that PAS would not back BN in the polls, and that the Islamist party had inked an agreement to that effect.

Hadi had said the meeting discussed administrative ties between Putrajaya and Terengganu.

Dr Mahathir earlier today said the agreement was signed by Takiyuddin.

Yesterday, PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad and leaders from the party’s Selangor chapter showed up at the Semenyih by-election nomination centre in support of Zakaria.

PAS chose to sit out the by-election to give way to Umno, with one of Zakaria’s proposers being a member of the Islamist party.

Tajuddin reminded the BN machinery to work hard to ensure a win in Semenyih.

“Our machinery must work at its best level. If we can’t give our best, don’t offer to work for the party. This is not like preparing for a wedding. This is a struggle that we cannot dismiss.

“We have to start tracking voters. Don’t delay. We need to know who is with us, and who isn’t.

“We have to move faster, and if we do this right, God willing, we can win Semenyih.”

The state seat will see a four-cornered fight between Zakaria, PH’s Muhammad Aiman Zainali, Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) and Khuan Chee Heng (independent). – February 17, 2019.