PAKATAN Harapan should not take the Umno-PAS pact lightly going into the Rantau by-election, said Bersatu chief strategist Dr Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff.

He said the April 13 polls will be a challenge for PH, as the state constituency comprises 53% Malay voters.

“There is quite a good chunk of Malays there, and the Malay anger towards PH is still there, out of fear, insecurity and others. So, we need to address that,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a forum in Petaling Jaya today.

He said there is a 50-50 chance of PH winning Rantau.

Umno acting chairman Mohamad Hasan will stand for BN, while PKR has announced that PH will field Dr S. Streram.

Last week, Mohamad said Umno and PAS have formed a technical committee aimed at championing Malay-Muslim unity.

He said the committee is jointly chaired by the parties’ vice-presidents.

Mohamad said Umno is not merging with PAS, and that their formal cooperation is merely an election strategy.

On PAS, Rais said it is becoming more of a “cultish party”.

“Their leaders can do anything. They can take money, and at the end of the day, they will justify using religion.

“That is why I call them the ‘merchant traders’ of Islam.”

Such actions can cause division among the people, he said.

“This is why PH has to set up a task force to better understand the PAS-Umno alliance and its ramifications to Malaysia.”

The ruling pact should come up with its own take on progressive Islam, which is to talk less about the religion and think more about the implementation of its values, he said.

“Let people view Islam from the prism of delivery.” – March 12, 2019.