KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — Kedah is the best place to start unity talks between the country’s two largest Malay-Muslim political parties, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said today, as Umno and PAS leaders wait on each other to get the ball rolling.
The Kedah mentri besar said the talks would have the highest likelihood of success in the northern state, where leaders from both sides have already established a strong relationship.
“This is something that is very dear and very close to the hearts of all Kedahans. I made an offer that we could start it first, if you like,” he told journalists after flagging-off an aid convoy for flood victims in Kuantan, Pahang.
“At the national level, of course there will be some initiatives, some discussions, perhaps. Even a muzakarah (dialogue) between the two parties.
“But for us in Kedah, it will come very naturally because I always mentioned that the politics in Kedah is quite mellow. It’s non-extreme in any way... I think Kedah would be the best place to showcase what it really means to have talks like this,” Mukhriz added.
Both Umno, the country’s most powerful political party, and Islamist arch-rivals PAS have made numerous attempts over the years to try and work together and possibly merge to create a single entity to represent the interests of the majority Malays — who are typically Muslim by definition in the Federal Constitution.
The muzakarah plan was again revisited after the recent 13th General Election last May, and picked up steam towards the end of the year when both parties held their party elections and general assemblies.
During PAS’s muktamar or annual congress last month, party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said they were willing to sit down with Umno if they were committed to implementing an Islamic administration.
Not long after that, Datuk Ahmad Yaakob — the mentri besar of PAS-led Kelantan — called on Prime Minister and Umno President Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the latter’s office in Putrajaya, and it is believed that they had discussed the possibility of implementing Islamic laws, including hudud, in Kelantan.
Delegates at Umno’s recently concluded general assembly also honed in on the muzakarah issue, with calls for serious efforts by both parties to get talks started.
Umno Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged PAS to work out the terms of the talks, adding that increasing unity between Malays and Muslims in the country is a party priority.
Mukhriz today insisted that the common traits between Umno and PAS far outweighed the differences, but also admitted that both parties will still need to iron out certain issues, such as the latter’s goal of establishing a full-fledged Islamic state in Malaysia, before they can move forward.
PAS has been a staunch proponent of establishing an Islamic state that fully adopts Syariah law as the law of the land, as outlined in their party constitution.
“I think these are among the topics we should discuss, but I don’t think it’s for me to give definitive statements about that because we are only just starting discussions.
“But let me assure everyone, when we talk about Malay unity, it is never at the expense of others. In fact, when we talk about 1 Malaysia, understanding that the composition of the country, (the) majority are Malays.
“Surely 1 Malaysia would be difficult to achieve if the Malays who are the majority are not united. This is what we have been trying to propagate... a united Malay is never a threat to the others, and also among Muslims it’s the same case,” he said.
