MUAFAKAT Nasional (MN) was a political pact made up of Umno and PAS with a charter that did not include the participation of Bersatu, Mohamad Hasan said today. 

The Umno deputy president reminded PAS that MN was established to oppose the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, of which Bersatu was a part of it until 2020, when it broke away to form Perikatan Nasional. 

“Therefore to force Umno to accept Bersatu is contrary to the true spirit of MN’s formation, especially when one recalls how Bersatu had conspired with DAP to defeat Umno and topple the Umno-led government,” Mohamad said on Facebook today.

Mohamad was responding to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s accusation that Umno, the biggest Malay-based party in the country, had betrayed the MN charter by rejecting the inclusion of Bersatu in the pact.

Hadi claimed the charter his party had inked with Umno when MN was created was to accept other parties and civil society groups that wanted to work for the Muslim and Malay community. 

However, Hadi said the agreement was broken when Umno only wanted MN to be a working arrangement with PAS and no one else.

“Umno cannot order PAS around because it is an independent political party. Saying only PAS and Umno are to be in MN is not acceptable (to us) as PAS agreed to include others in the charter.

“We had also set a date for Bersatu and other parties to meet and even accept Bersatu in MN.

“PAS is open to the idea but unfortunately (Umno leaders) wanted PAS to be with Umno only. PAS cannot be ordered about, as it is a party by itself. PAS is not in Barisan Nasional,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia in Larut today.

Mohamad admitted that MN should be an umbrella for all Malays but said any party that wishes to join the pact must be compatible with the interests of Umno and PAS.  

“Because of that, Umno has never invited PKR, Amanah, Putra or Pejuang to join MN, even though they are also part of the ummah.  

“Honestly, it is because Umno does not want to offend PAS,” the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar said. 

Mohamad said that Umno is bound to the decision it made in its general assembly, where they decided against cooperating with Bersatu.  

He said PAS and almost the entire Malaysia is aware of it. 

He also reminded that the MN charter is a non-binding understanding and urged the Islamist party not to make any drastic move that would cause the Malays to distance themselves from MN. 

“We did not register MN because Umno wants the Malays to see it as a platform for all and not just a political instrument of Umno and PAS.  

“So, don’t say because Umno doesn’t want to accept Bersatu in MN, and that is the reason PAS is leaving. 

“The interests of the Malays and Muslims are far greater than the interests of Bersatu joining MN. So, let us not do something that will eventually alienate the Malays from MN,” he said.  

Mohamad hoped that Hadi would continue to be with Umno to explore various new dimensions in empowering the Malay race. – December 5, 2021.