KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 ― PAS will not form a unity government with Barisan Nasional (BN) in Terengganu if there is a hung assembly in the event of a PAS victory in Kuala Besut, the Islamist party’s lawmakers said yesterday.
The Kuala Besut state seat fell vacant after Dr Abdul Rahman Mokhtar from Umno died of lung cancer on Wednesday, paving the way for a by-election that will decide the fate of the east coast state.
“No unity government with Umno anywhere in Malaysia,” PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali told The Malay Mail Online yesterday.
“We have had enough of BN,” he added.
BN and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) currently hold 16 and 15 seats respectively in the 32-seat state legislative assembly in Terengganu.
If PAS wins the Kuala Besut by-election, Terengganu will have the country’s first hung assembly in history. The Islamist party also ruled Terengganu for one term from 1999 to 2004.
BN is under pressure to reach across the aisle for unity rule and avoid letting the matter fall into the hands of the assertive state Ruler. Following Election 2008, he appointed Kijal assemblyman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said as mentri besar over the incumbent, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, who was recommended by Putrajaya.
“There could be a state election to give a fresh mandate,” Parit Buntar MP Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa told The Malay Mail Online. “But it’s likely that the Sultan will decide who commands the majority.”
The PAS central working committee member pointed out that the Sultan in Perak had determined that BN had commanded the majority in the state assembly during the 2009 constitutional crisis, instead of calling for fresh elections when three PR assemblymen left their parties to become BN-friendly independents.
“Based on this model, this could happen,” said Mujahid.
He added that the Terengganu Sultan may decide that BN commands the majority by looking at the ruling coalition’s performance in the state or its share of the popular vote.
PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat vowed last month that his party would never form a unity government with Umno as long as he is alive.
Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa has repeatedly called for political co-operation between the Islamist party and Umno for the sake of Islam.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, however, said yesterday that there was no reason for PAS to join forces with Umno, pointing out that fresh elections should be called instead in the event of a hung assembly.
“But seriously I think the issue would be brought to the PR presidential meeting to discuss the best way to handle the situation,” the PAS central working committee member told The Malay Mail Online.
