MUAFAKAT Nasional (MN) have revved up their preparation for any snap general election by setting up a committee to coordinate state and parliamentary political activities, said leaders from Umno and PAS.

Among the tasks of the 22-member committee is to finalise the seats that will be contested by both parties.

“The committee consists of 11 members each from Umno and PAS. We want to ensure that there are no overlaps between Umno and PAS,” said Umno Supreme Council member Zahidi Zainul Abidin.

The communications and multimedia deputy minister told The Malaysian Insight that the committee will design MN’s campaign logo.

“If elections are called early, we may opt to use our own individual logos,” he said.

Gerik Umno division chief Hasbullah Osman said the MN committee will also facilitate the coordination between the two parties regarding campaign work and programmes.

Hasbullah said such a committee will cement previous informal cooperation between the two parties.

“We want to make things better, so there is no overlap in the seats. The cooperation will be based on our charter and from there we will further refine our work structure,” the Gerik MP told The Malaysian Insight.

Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Hussein said the process of appointing committee members is being sped up though there is no indication as to the date of the general election.

“Within two weeks, a committee will be formed to strengthen MN at the state level in line with the parties’ central leadership.

“It includes any discussion, coordination and so on,” Abdullah said.

The final decision on seat allocation is subject to their parties’ central leadership.

“In terms of dividing the committee at the state and division levels, that will be discussed as well but the final decision belongs to the central leadership,” he said.

However, he said, MN at the state level is always ready to face any possible elections.

MN was formally established on September 14 last year, a political arrangement between Umno, the country’s leading Malay nationalist party and the Islamist PAS.

The pact follows the losses suffered by Umno and Barisan Nasional in the 14th general election in 2018 to Pakatan Harapan.

However, in the wake of the change in government, MN joined Perikatan Nasional (PN) to form the federal government with Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

PN has yet to be officially registered while Muhyiddin’s Bersatu faction is trying to link up with MN. – July 8, 2020.