Wan Saiful visits PAS leader after remarks on PN's PM candidate issue

A Bersatu leader has moved to allay tensions between his party and PAS on the issue of Perikatan Nasional’s prime ministerial candidate.

In a Facebook post, Bersatu supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan shared that he had visited the home of PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin last night.

“While enjoying homemade ‘laksa’, we talked about state and national politics.

“Alhamdulillah, we share the same commitment and desire to move forward together as one,” said the Tasek Gelugor MP.

On Friday, Hashim (above, left), said Bersatu cannot sideline PAS in determining the coalition’s prime minister candidate.

He said this in response to Bersatu vice-president Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s remarks about Muhyiddin Yassin being PN’s sole nominee for the country’s top job.

On the same day, Gerakan president Dominic Lau reaffirmed that Muhyiddin remains PN’s prime minister candidate, citing the Bersatu president’s experience, leadership qualities, and the coalition’s support.

During an interview with Malaysiakini recently, Faizal said if others in the coalition harbour ambitions to become prime minister, they should stop dreaming.

When contacted, Wan Saiful said he had made the trip from Kuala Lumpur to Hashim’s house in Sanglang, Perlis, on his own initiative.

“I have known him since the 1990s. He used to stay at my house in Liverpool and Luton.

“And I used to drive him to various meetings when he visited the UK,” Wan Saiful told Malaysiakini.

'No big brother in PN'

In a separate interview with Free Malaysia Today, Wan Saiful reportedly denied the perception of PAS being a “big brother” in PN, stating instead all components need to work together to achieve electoral victory.

He also said it would be “illogical” to compare the eight-year-old Bersatu to PAS’ decades of experience in politics.

“Our role is mutually compatible, and if the coalition does not exist, then we will not be in our current position. Maybe Kelantan and Terengganu will remain with PAS but with a reduced majority.

“So, when people say there is a ‘big brother’ (in PN), I don’t see that,” said Wan Saiful.

PAS currently has the most parliamentary seats in PN with 43 MPs, followed by Bersatu which won 31 seats in GE15.

However, Bersatu had since lost six of its MPs who pledged support for the government. Gerakan, meanwhile, has zero seats.

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