The Malaysian Insight

UMNO has chosen to be with PAS and won’t entertain suggestions to join Bersatu, Najib Razak said today.

The newly appointed chairman of Barisan Nasional’s advisory board said the working arrangement Umno has with the Islamist party is a solid one and will be enshrined in a common charter.

“We have a concrete cooperation with PAS and we are in the process of finalising our joint charter. At the branch and divisional levels, there have also been joint activities.

“So, why would we want to join another party? Umno has made its choice and we have chosen PAS. I believe PAS has also chosen Umno,” Najib said at the Parliament lobby today.

The former prime minister and ex-Umno president was yesterday granted permission by the high court for his SRC International corruption trial to be adjourned today so that he could attend the Dewan Rakyat, which is due to vote on lowering the minimum voting age to 18 later today.

Bersatu chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad had recently extended an invitation to members of other Malay parties to join the Pakatan Harapan party.

Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir had also said that the party would keep an open mind if even PAS wanted to join it for the sake of Muslim unity.

Earlier today, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the joint charter had yet to be finalised and a meeting scheduled for tonight on the matter had to be postponed due to the historic Dewan Rakyat vote.

Takiyuddin said both Umno and PAS were working on the charter and would finalise it as soon as possible. – July 16, 2019.