Tok Mat urges PAS to dissolve one state assembly it controls as 'sincerity test'

UMNO AGM | As understanding and cooperation between Umno and PAS - the country’s two major Malay parties - appear increasingly close, Mohamad Hasan has proposed a test to gauge the sincerity of the other side.

The Umno deputy president said that after the Malacca polls, PAS should be asked to dissolve the state legislative assembly in one of the states it governs to pave the way for another state election.

“After Malacca, let us try and test how sincere our friends are. We ask one of the SG4 states to hold an election.

“You hold an election, and I want to see what formula you use, right?

“For example, hold one in Terengganu. How about that? Show us if you are sincere about working together,” Mohamad said.

He presented the proposal to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi while winding up the debate on the final day of the party’s annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

SG4 refers to the four states governed by PAS-Perikatan Nasional, which are Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis. Of the four, Umno only has representation in the Kelantan state assembly, with two assemblypersons.

Quoting a line from one of P Ramlee's comedy films, Mohamad added that Umno-BN had already demonstrated its sincerity in cooperating with PAS in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

“If we go by the P Ramlee movie, using the formula ‘one for you, one for me’, we have already done that,” he said.

Umno-PAS success in N Sembilan

In Negeri Sembilan, Mohamad, a former menteri besar of the state, said cooperation between Umno and PAS proved successful, with no problems arising after they formed the state government with a strong majority exceeding the two-thirds threshold.

“But we want to test their honesty. We want to see how far it goes.

“We cannot be the only ones desperately chasing after them. We cannot be the only ones pushing ourselves forward when we are not wanted.

“If this is truly sincere in the name of Malay-Muslim unity, then let us see what formula will be used,” Mohamad said.

He added that such a state election could show what formula could unite the Malays ahead of the 16th general election.

‘Stop with wishful thinking’

Mohamad also stressed that no other party would be happy to see Umno rise again to its former strength, saying they wanted to see the party buried instead.

Therefore, he urged Umno members and supporters not to indulge in wishful thinking.

Mohamad added that other parties had wanted to destroy Umno but eventually ended up “reading their own last rites” after fighting among themselves, while Umno continues to exist today.

“What I want to say is, do not depend on the goodwill of others. Build your own strength.

“Do not rely on help or assistance from others and from other parties.

“Build our internal strength, because by building our own strength and internal resilience, we can ensure that it becomes a fortress that allows us to face whatever lies ahead,” the foreign minister said.

Mohamad reiterated that while there may be plans for cooperation based on mutual understanding, it should remain just that - an understanding.

“Do not get so carried away that we forget that building our own strength is a priority,” Mohamad said, stressing that Umno should negotiate carefully in preparing for the Malacca state election.

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