Umno Leader Mocks Proposal to Unify Malay-Muslim Parties
PETALING JAYA: An Umno leader has mocked Bersatu Supreme Council member Redzuan Yusof over his proposal to unify the three major Malay-Muslim parties – Umno, PAS, and Bersatu.
Umno Has Had Enough of Bersatu and PAS
Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said Redzuan’s narrative was stale and that the former minister was a nobody in Bersatu to be making such a proposal. "Who is Redzuan to dream of unifying the Malay parties when he is an outcast in Bersatu, which in itself is divided," Puad told FMT.
PAS Youth Dismisses Proposal
PAS Youth information chief Nadzir Helmi also dismissed Redzuan’s call, saying it was not possible as long as Umno continued rejecting PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang. "If they do not want to work with our party president, that means there can be no cooperation with PAS," he said.
Umno’s Stance
Puad reiterated that the opportunity to work with Umno had passed, as the party has had enough of PAS and Bersatu and did not want to repeat its past mistake. "Umno is more interested in looking for a politically honest partner to share power," he added.
Redzuan’s Proposal
Redzuan was quoted by Utusan Malaysia on Thursday as saying he would engage Umno, PAS, and Bersatu leaders with a "diplomatic strategy" to form a coalition among the three Malay-based parties. He said this was necessary to strengthen the political standing of the Malays, which he added had been fragmented by internal conflict.
Historical Tensions
Umno and PAS were allies in the Muafakat Nasional charter signed in 2019, but ties soured in 2020 after PAS formed the Perikatan Nasional coalition with Bersatu, and proposed that Bersatu, an Umno splinter, should join the MN alliance. Umno rejected the proposal.
Current State of Affairs
However, all three parties continued to be partners in the federal government until the 2022 general election, which led to Umno backing Anwar Ibrahim to become the 10th prime minister. In July, Umno president Zahid Hamidi said the party would not work with PAS as long as Hadi remains the party’s president. In a tit for tat retort, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party would not want to collaborate with Umno so long as Zahid is the president.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it appears that the proposal to unify the three major Malay-Muslim parties is facing opposition from both Umno and PAS. With historical tensions and current animosity between the parties, it seems unlikely that a coalition will be formed in the near future.
FAQs
Q: What is the proposal to unify the three major Malay-Muslim parties?
A: The proposal is to form a coalition among Umno, PAS, and Bersatu to strengthen the political standing of the Malays and address internal conflict.
Q: Who has rejected the proposal?
A: Umno and PAS have both rejected the proposal, with Umno citing that it has had enough of PAS and Bersatu and does not want to repeat its past mistake.
Q: What is the current state of affairs between the three parties?
A: Umno and PAS were allies in the Muafakat Nasional charter, but ties soured after PAS formed the Perikatan Nasional coalition with Bersatu. Umno and PAS are no longer allies, and Umno has rejected the proposal for Bersatu to join the MN alliance.