Pahang PAS commissioner Rosli Jabar says PAS and Umno, which have almost equal strength in the state, can discuss the menteri besar’s position if the two parties work together for the 16th general election (GE16).
Rosli said PAS did not want to take a hardline stance on the matter and was prepared to negotiate over Pahang.
He was responding to Pahang Umno chief and menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, who said Umno was open to working with any party for GE16, including PAS, if such cooperation benefited the people and the state.
Seat strength should not be an obstacle
In the last state election, Umno contributed 16 of the 17 state seats won by Barisan Nasional (BN), while PAS, contesting under Perikatan Nasional, won 15 seats. Pakatan Harapan (PH) secured eight seats.
BN subsequently partnered with PH to form the Pahang state government under Wan Rosdy.
Rosli, who is also the Tanjung Lumpur assemblyman, said the difference in the number of seats should not be an issue if PAS and Umno genuinely wanted to work together, provided both sides respected each other.
PAS willing to set aside leadership slogan
Rosli also indicated that PAS was prepared to set aside its slogan of leading Pahang or taking over the state if cooperation with Umno could be achieved.
He said the slogan was based on a situation in which the two parties were not united.
“If there is unity among the ummah, we will not use this slogan. We will find another slogan that focuses on the ummah’s unity,” he said.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, meanwhile, said it was still too early for the two parties to discuss seat allocations and positions in the government.
“Understanding and sincerity are important in achieving this cooperation,” he said.
