SABAK BERNAM, June 13 — Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said today that PAS and Umno would naturally form a political alliance, as they both needed each other to survive.

The former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief said both Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and PAS needed support from each other, especially since that the Islamist party was no longer part of the federal opposition coalition.

“They realise the importance of having partners. That by themselves, they cannot make head way. So between Najib needing a friend and PAS needing a partner, so there is a natural relationship,” Kadir told reporters when met on a campaign trail here today.

But he cautioned that such a union might not sit well with grassroots leaders from both parties.

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“I don’t think at the grassroots Umno members are excited about a partnership with PAS. A lot of PAS people also are not excited about coming together with Umno once again,” Kadir pointed out claiming that PAS couldn’t even accept leaders that had differing views within its party.

He went on to explain about how in PAS there was a huge split between the Ulama and professionals, due to differing opinions which let to the formation of splinter party, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).

“The PAS that is there today, they rejected their own party members and leaders, Amanah. If they could reject their own members who are Amanah, how could they accept Umno,” Kadir added.

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He said that a PAS-Umno alliance will not in anyway unite the Malay-Muslim community in Malaysia.

There have been claims that PAS and Umno would unite as one to ensure the (Ummah) Muslim community would stay united, to this Kadir said it was impossible, as politics would only further divide it.

“The Ummah is already broken up into three — Umno, PAS and Amanah. I don’t think it is going to happen,” he said.

Kadir said that a union between Umno and PAS would raise an interesting question over which party would be calling the shots.

“But, then again it is an interesting question to ask. If they get together, who is going to change who. Will PAS change Umno for the better or will Umno corrupt PAS,” he questioned.