The Malaysian Insight

MALACCA, Negri Sembilan, Perak and Kedah will to fall in the next general election as a result of the new Umno and PAS coalition, said Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

If the coalition plays its cards right, it will even be able to take over Johor in GE15, said Mohamad, as he touted the strength of the new pact which is expected to draw Malay support.

At the same time, Umno-PAS will keep the four states they already control – Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang – he told a rally of Umno and PAS supporters in Kuala Lumpur last night.   

“We can win eight states, that is the nightmare (Pakatan Harapan),” Mohamed said to rousing applause from the crowd who are expecting to see the two parties ink their political cooperation this morning.

PH captured Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Johor, Perak and Kedah in the 14th general election as the coalition ended Umno and Barisan Nasional’s 62 years in federal power.

The new pact between PAS and Umno, the country’s two largest parties, will create a new opposition front to take on the PH government, which they accuse of sidelining Muslims and Islam.

Their critics, however, said the decades of enmity between PAS and Umno will hamstring their ability to work together as they have traditionally vied for the same voters – Malay-Muslims.

Observers said the pact will run into problems once it has to decide which parliamentary and state seats each party will contest.

Mohamed tried to downplay the issue last night, saying that he is confident that both presidents Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Umno) and Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS) would handle seat negotiations wisely.

Other leaders and members should not concern themselves over the issue but focus on strengthening the bonds between Umno and PAS, he said.

“I’ve heard this before. People asking, what about seats? How many seats are we getting and so on. Don’t talk that way. Don’t jump into the issue of seats. Our aim is to win. If we want to win, we must work together. Let us not be not be greedy.

“On seats I leave to the two presidents to reach a good understanding. Like our elders say, if we cooperate we will be safe but if we fight we will be in trouble.” 

Mohamed’s counterpart at the rally, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man of PAS echoed similar sentiments.

“Seats are not an issue for us when Umno and PAS can both sit down and reach an understanding. It’s not like what they are saying, that when it comes to seats we will start fighting.”  

In last elections, Umno won 79 parliamentary seats while PAS managed to win 18. – September 14, 2019.