KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — PAS is prepared to discuss extending the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) cooperation model used in Negeri Sembilan to the Melaka state election and potentially to the federal level, its deputy president has said.
Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the results of the cooperation in Negeri Sembilan had been very encouraging and provided a basis for further discussions on its future, Harian Metro reported.
“We saw that the cooperation in Negeri Sembilan produced very good results and achievements.
“At the national level, we are prepared to hold negotiations and discussions, and decide whether to continue the cooperation, based on what we have seen of the public mood and the people’s hope that this cooperation will continue.
“If possible, it should not be limited to Negeri Sembilan. The Negeri Sembilan model should be brought to Melaka and, if possible, to the federal level as well. As far as we are concerned, we are ready to hold discussions,” he said today, as reported by the national daily.
He was responding to questions over whether cooperation between PN and BN would continue in the Melaka state election.
PAS had remained in the Opposition in Negeri Sembilan since independence, having won only a small number of seats in the state assembly.
However, the recent Negeri Sembilan state election marked a turning point after PN and BN won enough seats between them to form the state government.
Tuan Ibrahim said the decision by the two coalitions not to contest against one another had sent a clear message to voters.
He said the next challenge was to ensure that party members understood the leadership’s decision and that both sides’ machinery worked together to carry out the strategy.
“At the initial stage, some felt slighted and were not entirely receptive because some had already prepared to contest.
“They had worked for five years, but when the party issued its directive, I saw that the mood was very positive.
“The third stage was how to coordinate the machinery. For example, PAS contested in Serting. The question was how the Umno machinery could help the PAS machinery even though Umno did not have a candidate there.
“Likewise, in other places, the PAS machinery worked to secure victory for Umno,” he said.
He said cooperation between the PN and BN machinery in Negeri Sembilan had proceeded smoothly, including on polling day, when both sides carried out their respective roles.
“So I saw that the results were very good, and that is how the Negeri Sembilan experience can be translated and brought to other states, particularly Melaka,” he said.
Tuan Ibrahim said no preliminary talks with Umno had taken place because the Melaka state assembly had yet to be dissolved.
“We are not certain yet because we do not know when the Melaka state assembly will be dissolved. We will wait for the dissolution of the Melaka state assembly.
“For now, each party is carrying out its work, and the decision will depend on the dissolution of the Melaka state assembly,” he said.
