No autonomy for state-level PAS to choose GE15 partners: Tuan Ibrahim

PAS has not granted autonomy to its state chapters to decide on partners for the upcoming 15th general election, said party deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

In an interview with the FengRenGuan YouTube channel, Tuan Ibrahim said the party has adopted the same approach in its East Coast strongholds and in the West Coast.

"There is no autonomy for each state, but the flexibility to choose partners in politics, that we will take into account existing strengths.

"For example, if we want to win in Selangor, if PAS and Umno do not cooperate, I think the state will remain with Pakatan Harapan.

"So Umno is aware of the situation and they want to cooperate with PAS in Selangor," the Kubang Kerian MP added.

However, Tuan Ibrahim said Umno’s offer to cooperate with PAS must be extended nationwide, and not only in selected states.

At the same time, he said the cooperation will also involve Bersatu to unite all the major Malay-Muslim parties.

"You (Umno) can't choose to cooperate (with PAS) only in places that you want while fighting (us) in other places.

"In Kelantan and Terengganu you want to fight PAS but in Selangor, you want to be friends. How can that be?" the energy and water minister asked.

"If you want to be friends, let's be real friends. And if you want to fight, go all out," Tuan Ibrahim added.

PAS-Umno in Selangor

In May, Selangor BN chief Noh Omar said Umno and PAS would avoid contesting the same seats in the state, with the hope of ousting Harapan.

With the strategy, Umno and PAS were targeting to win at least 30 of the 56 state seats up for grabs in Selangor, the Tanjong Karang MP had said.

Among Selangor PAS leaders who previously voiced support for the cooperation with Umno include its state commissioner Ahmad Yunus Hairi and state liaison secretary Roslan Shahrir Mohd Shahir.

At the central leadership level, PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin recently said Umno should not ban its state and divisional leadership from cooperating with PAS for the upcoming general election.

He said this in response to Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan’s reminder to all Umno chapters, including Selangor which sought autonomy to defeat Harapan in the next polls, to stick to the party’s decision which was made during its annual general assembly in March.

'No state assembly dissolutions before March'

In a related matter, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said PAS-led states in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu will not dissolve their state assemblies any earlier than March next year.

"The decision is made on grounds that for the time being extra focus must be given to the aspect of recovery in people's lives, particularly in the economic sector, aside from the health sector," he said in a statement.

At the same time, Takiyuddin said PAS will prioritise efforts to unite the Muslim community as well as national unity in all its political moves and stand.

"PAS is highly optimistic that the uniting ummah approach can be achieved through a collaboration of major political parties in the country founded on the concept of Malay-Muslim and Bumiputera unity," he said, adding that it has been an effective formula accepted by a majority of Malaysians.

Meanwhile, Takiyuddin also stressed that PAS will not enter into cooperation with Pakatan Harapan or its component parties, including for any proposed "big tent" concept.

He added that all the related matters will be brought to the PAS 68th annual muktamar in Alor Setar, Kedah, this weekend.

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