Umno may let Muhyiddin have Pagoh, but wants Bersatu out of 3 states
Umno may let Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin defend his Pagoh seat in Johor, amid heightened tensions between the two parties.
However, Umno does not want Bersatu to contest in Pahang, Kelantan, and most of Perak. Bersatu has seven MPs in those states...
Umno may let Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin defend his Pagoh seat in Johor, amid heightened tensions between the two parties.
However, Umno does not want Bersatu to contest in Pahang, Kelantan, and most of Perak. Bersatu has seven MPs in those states.
Speaking to reporters in Johor, state Umno information chief Dr Adham Baba said the state chapter has relayed to the party leadership that they want Muhyiddin to contest in Pagoh.
"Muhyiddin should be given way to defend Pagoh," he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.
Pagoh Umno, however, is against the decision.
"I hope that they (Umno supreme council) can listen to us (grassroots members) and allow Pagoh Umno to contest the parliamentary seat and two state seats (Bukit Kepong, Bukit Pasir)," division chief Ismail Mohamed Said was quoted as saying by FMT.
"We respect the state’s decision, but we hope that they can respect our stand as well," he added.
Ismail was previously Muhyiddin's deputy in Pagoh Umno and had unsuccessfully contested the seat in 2018.
If Umno gives Pagoh to Bersatu, it is unclear whether the party would let the latter defend any of its other seats in Johor - including Muhyiddin's Gambir state seat.
Besides Pagoh, Bersatu has two other federal lawmakers in Johor, namely Segamat MP Santhara Nair, and Batu Pahat MP Rashid Hasnon. Both were formerly PKR members before defecting to Bersatu this year.
Bersatu had also won Muar, Sri Gading, Simpang Renggam, and Tanjung Piai in the 2018 general election.
BN recaptured Tanjung Piai in a 2019 by-election, while the MPs for the three other seats are now independents opposed to Bersatu.
Bersatu also has 12 assemblypersons in Johor - including Muhyiddin.
Meanwhile, Pahang Umno chief Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said Bersatu should not contest in the state at all.
"Bersatu, which does not have even one seat in Pahang, should not contest in Pahang at all,” he was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight.
In 2018, Bersatu did not win any federal seats in Pahang.
However, Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah is now a Bersatu member after defecting from PKR.
Ketereh MP Annuar Musa - who is a proponent of Umno working with Bersatu - also wanted the latter to stay out Kelantan.
"Agree (with Wan Rosdy, Bersatu shouldn't contest) in Kelantan too," he tweeted in brief.
Like Pahang, Bersatu did not win any federal seats in Kelantan during the 2018 election.
However, Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed and Tanah Merah MP Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz both quit Umno and later joined Bersatu after the election.
Meanwhile, in Perak, state Umno chief Saarani Mohamad said they will not let anyone else contest the seats they had originally won in the 2018 polls.
These include three parliament seats, Larut, Bagan Serai, and Bukit Gantang, which were won by Umno before the MPs defected to Bersatu.
Umno also wants to defend the Tualang Sekah and Sungai Manik state seats which they had won in 2018.
In 2018, Bersatu only won one federal seat in Perak, Tambun.
Ties between Umno and Bersatu continue to be strained despite the two being in the federal government together.
Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was quoted by Harian Metro today as saying that Umno will not work with Bersatu in the next general election - which is expected to be held next year.
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