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Annuar: Sg Kandis no yardstick for Umno-PAS cooperation
Published:  Aug 5, 2018 5:22 PM
Updated: 10:18 AM

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa believes that the Sungai Kandis by-election – which saw PAS step out of the ring to allow BN a straight fight with Pakatan Harapan – should not be used as a yardstick for the cooperation between the two parties.

Annuar said in a statement today that the cooperation between Umno and PAS is still in its infancy.

“The only agreement was the understanding that there would be one candidate (in Sungai Kandis), but not in terms of movement on the ground, campaigns, etc.

“Moreover, the leaders of both parties have not agreed to share one stage, or synchronise the campaign machinery.

“In other words, both parties are not yet moving as a single entity, as Harapan does,” his statement read.

According to Annuar, many had believed that the BN candidate for Sungai Kandis, Lokman Noor Adam, would receive the same number of votes as BN and PAS combined (19,091) in the 14th general election.

This did not come to pass, however, as Lokman secured just 9,585 votes, losing out to Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, who obtained 15,427 votes to retain the state seat for Harapan. 

In return for sitting out the Sungai Kandis polls, Umno agreed to make way for PAS in the upcoming Seri Setia by-election, triggered by the death of incumbent Harapan assemblyperson Shaharuddin Badaruddin on Aug 2. 

Annuar said that Umno will continue to take an “open and pragmatic” approach to best protect the interests of the people from the apparent failures of the Harapan.

“The room for cooperation is actually still open, and untested. This will be developed further to strengthen the people’s struggle.

“Umno will keep taking an open and pragmatic approach in exploring mechanisms to advance this struggle.

“The people need protection from the Harapan administration – who are controlled by DAP socialists – especially the bumiputera and Muslims,” he said.

Still a force to be reckoned with

Despite losing Sungai Kandis, Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad said in a statement that she believes the results show that BN is still a force to be reckoned with.

“The results of the Sungai Kandis by-election announced last night showcased the undeniable aura of BN as a party that still has a future.

“This follows its retention of 83.2 percent of the votes it received in GE14.

“On the Harapan side, its candidate for Sungai Kandis only obtained 63.9 percent of the votes it did in GE14, even though the total number of voters increased from 50,800 to 52,650,” she said, adding that fissures within Harapan could have been a contributing factor.

Noraini also agreed with Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan’s contention that the historically low turnout for the polls – 49.4 percent of the electorate – was a sign of protest against the Harapan government. 

The sentiment was also echoed by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who claimed in a statement that fence-sitters and youth sat out the polls in protest.

More importantly, he said, the by-election showed the germination of greater cooperation between Umno and PAS in the future.

“Although we do not know the numbers of PAS members that supported BN, but the open support of the PAS central, state branch and division leadership asking their members to show support clearly shows their sincerity in working with Umno for the integrity of the future of Islam and Malays, which is being threatened by the Harapan administration."

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