Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said Umno had offered to share power with PAS in Selangor after the general elections as it was within its right as the incumbent state government.

Asked if PAS was also offered the position of Selangor menteri besar, Abdullah replied: "What are you talking about? (This has) nothing to do with what I've been talking about."

abdullah ahmad badawi 250708 "Maybe at the early stages when it was undecided on who would form the government at that time because Umno had the highest number of seats in Selangor," he added.

Abdullah explained that Umno did not discuss the matter with Pakatan Rakyat as the latter was not a single entity.

"Of course, in our case we represent the Barisan Nasional but for their parties, although they are the opposition there was nobody that had surfaced as a formally registered political party that has the three component parties, the way we have in BN.

"So, at that time Umno felt that it has a right to seek the opportunity to form the government and to negotiate with any party to form the government," he told reporters after the Academicians Award ceremony in Putrajaya.

Nothing wrong about it

The prime minister also said there was nothing wrong about the process as the state government had not been formed yet.

"Umno felt that as the party with the highest number of seats, it had the right to seek cooperation or alliance or coalition with any political party.

"If they (Umno and Pas) had enough seats, they would have been able to present the Sultan of Selangor with a proposal to form the next state government. But it never happened."

However, Abdullah did not elaborate on whether this cooperation was extended to DAP or PKR, who together with PAS form Pakatan Rakyat.

Previously, Umno leaders said the talks were limited to the subject of Malay unity and Islamic matters and not political cooperation.

This is the first time that Abdullah, who is also Umno president, had admitted to the possibility of a political alliance with PAS on the subject of Selangor.

Former Selangor MB Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo was the first Umno politician to admit that the offer was made shortly after the March 8 polls.

Benz for guests, not excos

In another development, Abdullah said he spoke to Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday and advised him against using the 14 Mercedes-Benz E200 Kompressor for state exco members.

"This is an important matter and the cabinet decided that the cars shouldn't be used by the excos. That is what we have decided although they may feel it is their right to get the cars.

"It is very clear. But since the cars are already purchased and if we were to sell them now, it would be at a loss. It is better to use them for guests of the state although they were initially bought for the excos," he added.

Earlier today, Ahmad Said disclosed that the state had received the prime minister's blessings to use the cars although he did not specify the purpose.

anwar ibrahim freed from police ipk detention pc 170708 09 The prime minister was also asked to comment on the statements by former Canadian prime minister Paul Martin, ex-World Bank chief James Wolfensohn, and former head of the International Monetary Fund Michel Camdessus asking for the sodomy charges against PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim to be dropped.

Abdullah said this was an internal matter.

"We are a sovereign country and we've our own set of laws. Whatever we do, we will make every effort to ensure that it is consistent with laws in Malaysia. And I hope people will respect us."

To another question on whether the CCTV footage of Anwar's questioning at the police headquarters should be made public, Abdullah said it is the police's decision.

"I want to say that the investigations into this matter is not complete so I wouldn't know and I do not want to say what they need to do or look into. I leave it entirely to the police."

Yesterday, online news portal Malaysian Insider reported that the police were considering making the close-circuit television (CCTV) footage of Anwar’s detention public to counter claims that he was mistreated.

However, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar and Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Abdul Samah Mat have denied this.