Will PAS side with Umno or Bersatu? Nik Abduh says not a decision for party to make today

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Despite being caught between two quarrelling allies, PAS is optimistic that its political partners Umno and Bersatu will resolve their differences before the next general election that is anticipated to be called this year.

The Islamist party’s rising star Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz told Utusan Malaysia that the party does not have an answer on picking one over the other when asked about its current political predicament.

“That is not a decision to be made today because today, we want to be with both. Predictions for the future are not a good answer.

“The answer to your question is there isn’t one and even if there were, it is not today. I don’t have to elaborate,” he said in an interview with the Malay daily published today.

He was asked pointedly on whether PAS will choose Umno or Bersatu during the interview.

Nik Abduh, a son of former PAS spiritual adviser, the late Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, is a member of the party’s central committee.

He acknowledged that its political partners Umno and Bersatu have political differences, but adopted a neutral stance.

He said PAS has no problems with working with either Umno or Bersatu, adding that it has two legitimate though separate agreements with both parties and intends to honour them.

“Right now, PAS is tied to Umno in one pool, which is a legitimate agreement through MN,” he was quoted saying, referring to their Muafakat Nasional charter formalised in September 2019.

“PAS is also tied to Bersatu through another legitimate pact that is PN,” he added, referring to the Perikatan Nasional coalition that is the government of the day.

Nik Abduh believes the discontent within Umno today is linked to the nationalist party’s internal issues in the run-up to GE15, and said PAS respects its ally’s stance.

The Bachok MP added that his party will continue to find a middle ground between Umno and Bersatu so they will all have a good outcome in the national polls.

“What happened was Umno used to focus on forming a government (supporting the PN government) and today Umno has started to focus on the party's aspects because the election is near. PAS respects Umno’s attitude.

“However, PAS will continue to find a solution within our capabilities to make sure differences in opinions will be settled before the 15th general election. What will happen during GE15 later will be based on our efforts today,” he told Utusan Malaysia.

Nik Abduh also said he does not see a major problem in his home state of Kelantan or neighbouring Terengganu, which are both under PAS government today, despite bold challenges from Umno to retake the two peninsular east coast states.

“We look at it from a democratic angle, state leaders can speak, and if it is contrary to each party’s stance, there must be a warning.

“If the leaders at the lower level say things that are inappropriate, those above will give a warning, likewise with Umno,” he was quoted as saying.

He said the voices from the party grassroots should not be given consideration if they were against the stance of the party’s central leadership.

“I think so far, the upper leadership of PAS and Umno are still working to ensure there will be a consensus in the division of seats for the coming election,” he told the newspaper.

Umno has been seeking to reassert is political dominance after the Barisan Nasional coalition it leads lost in the 2018 general election.

While some of its members have made a comeback and been appointed to government positions under the Bersatu-led PN administration, other Umno leaders and its grassroots have openly expressed dissatisfaction with their reduced roles.

Two days ago, Umno’s election chief Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman questioned the call for the party to negotiate and discuss the issue of at least 13 of its traditional parliamentary seats which are said to be causing friction within the PN ruling coalition.

According to him, Umno has decided to retain and contest in all of the party’s seats that it had won in the 14th general election, including those that were lost to crossovers and defections.