Umno President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has emphasized that the party has no intention of rekindling alliances with what he terms “scheming” leaders. Addressing the suggestion from former Umno leader Tajuddin Abdul Rahmam to revive the Muafakat Nasional (MN) partnership with PAS, Zahid underlined the need for partnerships to be devoid of manipulation. He also expressed reservations about PAS’s motives for revisiting the partnership. Zahid’s remarks were made during an event where he engaged with delegates from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Zahid further questioned the motivations behind PAS’s desire to revisit the partnership with Umno, suggesting that there might be a “hidden agenda” at play. “I don’t think we need to revisit partnerships with scheming party leaders,” he asserted, speaking after a dinner event involving delegates from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
This development follows PAS Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man’s assertion that the party is open to re-engaging with Umno through the MN pact. However, Tuan Ibrahim clarified that this willingness does not extend to leaders who are willing to align with DAP, a point of contention for the party.
Tuan Ibrahim’s belief that a majority of Umno members still favor the MN alliance stems from a desire for unity among Malay political parties. The MN alliance, formalized in 2019, marked an attempt by Umno and PAS to present a unified front.
Former Pasir Salak Member of Parliament Tajuddin, who recently launched an NGO named “Pasir Salak Bangkit,” urged Umno and PAS to breathe life into the MN alliance. Tajuddin lamented the ongoing division and power struggles within the Malay community, despite PAS’s significant wins in the August 12 state elections.
Shifting the discourse, Zahid also addressed former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s stance on the ban related to discussions on “3R” issues, namely race, religion, and royalty. Zahid disagreed with Mahathir’s assessment that the ban was overly broad, attributing Mahathir’s viewpoint to his personal interests.