GE15 - T'ganu Umno says will contest all state, parliamentary seats
Terengganu Umno is ready to contest in all eight parliamentary seats and 32 assembly seats in the state in the upcoming general election, said its liaison committee chairperson Ahmad Said.
The former Terengganu menteri besar's reaction came after the PAS deputy president Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said that the Islamic party wished to defend all the six parliamentary seats it won in the 14th general election.
Terengganu Umno is ready to contest in all eight parliamentary seats and 32 assembly seats in the state in the upcoming general election, said its liaison committee chairperson Ahmad Said (above).
The former Terengganu menteri besar's reaction came after the PAS deputy president Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said that the Islamic party wished to defend all the six parliamentary seats it won in the 14th general election.
PAS and Umno had before this formed their Muafakat Nasional coalition and both are now part of the Perikatan Nasional government.
"If he (PAS) wants to contest six parliamentary seats, I have no choice, Terengganu BN will contest all eight parliamentary seats," he said as quoted by Malay daily Sinar Harian today.
Explaining further, Ahmad described the Terengganu menteri besar's statement as "personal and premature".
He said so far, there had been no discussion on the distribution of seats between the two parties despite Samsuri claiming that developments regarding the matter had been positive.
"As far as I'm concerned, there has yet to be a discussion on the distribution of the seats, because all this while, it's only about terms of reference. For me, his statement as the deputy president was on personal terms and premature," he said.
Samsuri represents his party in discussion with Umno on seat distribution for the next general election.
Ahmad revealed that another PAS leader had also said that Terengganu PAS wished to defend the 22 assembly seats which it won in the previous general election.
Ahamd Said there was nothing to be afraid of if they contested against one another.
"What is there to be afraid of? In Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah, the majority are Malays.
"It doesn't matter if PAS or Umno win, they are still Malay states. Win or lose, that's normal. What is more important is to let Perikatan Nasional govern first."
He suggested that when Parliament is dissolved, the two parties then vie with each other for the assembly seats.
Terengganu has eight parliamentary seats with six under Pas while the other two, Hulu Terengganu and Besut, are held by BN.
However, Hulu Terengganu MP Rosol Wahid had jumped ship to join Bersatu after Pakatan Harapan won the 14th general election.
He is currently the deputy minister for domestic trade and consumer affairs.
For the assembly seats, PAS and Umno had won 22 and 10 seats respectively.
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