Zahid: No official talks between Umno, PAS on electoral pact

No official meetings or discussions between Umno and PAS to form an electoral pact have taken place, said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

However, he did not rule out that certain quarters could have held meetings in their personal capacities.

“They (PAS) did not meet me,” he told reporters in Shah Alam this evening.

“Even if there were (meetings between Umno and PAS leaders), these were done in (their) personal capacities, not officially,” he said.

Yesterday, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari claimed that there were talks on both parties cooperating in the next national polls.

He alleged that several unofficial meetings involving the main leaders of both parties had taken place which among others, touched on uniting the Malay vote.

Fadhli claimed that Umno leaders expressed regret about the decision to be part of the coalition government.

“In those meetings, they (Umno leaders) hoped to cooperate with PAS again. But they are afraid of going against what has been decided by the Umno president,” he claimed.

‘Living witness’ of PAS’ ‘lies’

At the Kuala Kangsar Umno annual general assembly on July 8, Zahid reiterated that he would not work with PAS as long as Abdul Hadi Awang is at the helm.

Based on Umno’s experience with PAS in Muafakat Nasional, he accused the Islamist party president of not adhering to the joint agreements.

Describing himself as a “living witness to the lies”, Zahid said: “I had face-to-face discussions with Hadi where he states his agreement on something in front of us but changes his stand the next day.

“As long as that person is their party president, don’t trust them. Do not expect us to cooperate with a party that exploits Islam,” he added.

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