DESPITE discounting an alliance with the Pakatan Harapan coalition, PAS Selangor is still willing to work with PKR in the next general election.

PAS Selangor election director Roslan Shahir Mohd Shahir said the party would consider working together with any party in the state apart from DAP, Amanah and Barisan Nasional. PH consists of DAP, PKR, Bersatu and Amanah.

“Pakatan Harapan as a bloc, probably we will not work together,” Roslan told The Malaysian Insight.

“We are still open with PKR as a party. If there are Pakatan Harapan interests that he would like to bring to the table, then bring it via PKR,” he said of PH’s Selangor chairman and Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The Malaysian Insight had earlier reported that PAS had allowed its leaders at the branch and state levels to continue negotiating with PKR and Bersatu on seat allocations for the next general election.

The decision was made in spite of the party’s official stand that it has no ties whatsoever with PH, of which PKR and Bersatu are member parties. 

For its part, PH has also announced it will reject any form of cooperation with PAS for the general election, and is prepared to face three-cornered battles. 

However, Roslan who is also PAS deputy information chief, said there were no absolutes except the fact that the party would not work with BN.

“With Barisan Nasional, we definitely will not cooperate. Because PAS is fighting for Umno seats.

“In all elections so far, PAS almost always went up against Umno. How can we now work together?” said the Subang Jaya Municipal Council member.

Deadline for negotiations

Roslan said in Selangor, PAS had fixed September 16 as the deadline for negotiations with other parties as their election machinery needed to be prepared for GE14.

“After September 16, we can still continue negotiations, but it will taper off because each day, people are focusing on when the election will be called.

“The preparation period is important to us,” he said.

According to Roslan, PAS has already prepared the machinery for seats which they plan to contest in Selangor.

“In the past year, our preparations have included finalising the mechanisms and identifying the seats which PAS should contest in GE14 in Selangor.

“During GE12 and 13, we had a relationship with PKR and DAP. Now that this relationship is gone, PAS is returning to traditional seats, so we need to make preparations.”

Last week, Selangor PAS Commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi said the Islamist party is preparing to stand in at least 42 state seats, and as many parliamentary seats as possible to achieve its election slogan of “Spearheading Peace in Selangor”. 

Sallehan’s announcement was slammed by both PKR and DAP, with Selangor DAP Socialist Youth secretary Mohammad Firdaus Babh calling on Azmin to reshuffle the state exco positions to take away important portfolios from PAS.

PKR Selangor youth chief Syed Badli Shah Syed Osman also accused PAS of “intentionally giving room for Umno and BN to return to power in Selangor”.

“By announcing openly that it is prepared to compete for 42 state seats, this means PAS is prepared to face three-cornered fights,” said Syed Badli Shah. – September 20, 2017.