Bersatu man claims PAS will stick with PN, to make debut in Sabah
PAS will support Bersatu's bid to formalise Perikatan Nasional despite Umno's refusal to formally join the coalition, according to Bersatu's Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
In a leaked video of a dialogue with Bersatu Youth grassroots, Wan Fayhsal claimed he had met with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Bersatu president, on the matter.
The deputy youth and sports minister said PN will make its debut as a...
PAS will support Bersatu's bid to formalise Perikatan Nasional despite Umno's refusal to formally join the coalition, according to Bersatu's Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
In a leaked video of a dialogue with Bersatu Youth grassroots, Wan Fayhsal (above) claimed he had met with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Bersatu president, on the matter.
The deputy youth and sports minister said PN will make its debut as a formal coalition in the Sabah state election, to be held before Sept 28, following the dissolution of the state assembly on July 30 to stave off a change in government through defections.
"I have brought Sabah Bersatu Youth to meet with Muhyiddin and we will be using the PN flag which will be dark blue with the words 'Perikatan Nasional' in the Sabah state election.
"It doesn't matter that Umno doesn't want to be with us but PAS will be with us," he said in the video.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Wan Fayhsal for comment on the video but he has yet to respond at the time of writing.
Umno and PAS had formed their own alliance under Muafakat Nasional to prepare for the next general election as opposition parties but found themselves thrust into an unfamiliar terrain when Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of the Pakatan Harapan government in late February and roped in Umno and PAS in the new coalition government.
PAS has been receptive towards Bersatu's push to formalise PN as a coalition in the next general election but Umno, although part of the PN government, has refused to formally be part of the coalition beyond the next general election.
Umno believes that, together with PAS, they can win most of the seats up for grabs, particularly in peninsular Malaysia, without having to make any concessions to Bersatu.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (below), on July 30, formally announced that Umno won't be joining PN even if the coalition is formalised.
Umno, PAS and Bersatu are all Malay-based parties and will contest in similar constituencies, making seat allocation for the general election a difficult task.
PAS, on Aug 3, had said it will participate in the Sabah election. However, PAS' strength lies in the northern and eastern regions of peninsular Malaysia. The party is weak in East Malaysia.
In contrast, Umno had since the 1990s been a force to be reckoned with in Sabah. It controlled the position of chief minister uninterrupted from 2003 until 2018.
In the video which was uploaded on Facebook, Wan Fayhsal said the Sabah election will be a litmus test for Bersatu and PN.
"If we can win the Sabah state election, the (general) election could be held as early as October and at the latest by February next year, based on my calculations," he said.
Wan Fayhsal's opponents appeared to have circulated the video which showed him promising to use his position as a deputy minister and Bersatu Youth chief - if he is elected - to issue support letters in exchange as votes.
He is vying for the position of Bersatu Youth chief in the party election next month.
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