UMNO leader urges PAS for support against their own allies in Johor

MALAYSIA: A UMNO leader who is well-known in Johor has urged the Islamists from PAS to get their voters to back Barisan Nasional and UMNO candidates against their own allies in the upcoming Johor state elections.

Dr Ahmad Maslan said BN appreciated PAS’s directive instructing its members and supporters to back BN in seats where PAS is not fielding candidates. Still, full cooperation has yet to materialise as PAS is contesting 11 state seats.

However, he hopes that BN can secure the support of PAS in constituencies where the Islamists are not contesting, including the 16 state seats being contested by Bersatu candidates.

“We have to acknowledge that full cooperation has not yet been achieved. Nevertheless, we appreciate the directive issued to PAS members and supporters to back BN in seats where PAS is not contesting.

“Not only outside those 11 constituencies. In those 11 seats, of course, PAS supporters will back their own candidates, but I believe PAS leaders and supporters can also support BN in the 16 state seats being contested by Bersatu,” he said in an interview with Bernama two days ago.

Six days ago, the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) urged supporters to vote for BN in the Johor state election.

Since PN is composed of PAS and Bersatu – the party of former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin – many would think it is a sort of betrayal from the Islamists not to support an ally in these elections.

But things have been rough between PAS and Bersatu this year, up to the point where PAS has now allowed a new party, Wawasan, to join PN in an apparent affront to Bersatu and Muhyiddin.

However, it appears that the directive, issued by PAS, reflects the opposition coalition’s long-term push for greater Malay political unity.

But many can’t reconcile with the fact that in PAS’s grand Malay unity plans, they are pushing a Malay-led party, Bersatu, out of the coalition.

In Johor, BN and PH are contesting all 56 seats in the Johor state election, PN is vying for only 33 constituencies, including 11 contested by PAS and 16 by Bersatu.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had said that he had instructed party members and supporters to vote for BN candidates in the seats that PN is not contesting.

“That is what we have emphasised (with PAS members). Do not vote for Pakatan Harapan,” Tuan Ibrahim said to the local media.

The party has not issued any directives so far to its supporters not to vote for Bersatu.