PETALING JAYA: A PAS member of parliament has warned Bersatu that contesting against the party in the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections would only benefit Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Bachok MP Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman said decisions involving the use of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) logo and candidate endorsement letters should be made by the coalition’s Supreme Council and endorsed by its chairman, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
Electoral clashes could benefit PH
Syahir said grassroots supporters and Malay voters generally wanted coalition partners to avoid contesting against one another.
“The voice of the grassroots and the wishes of the Malays are that, as far as possible, allies should not clash.
“If there is a clash, PH will win. It will be a short-lived victory, a case of winning the battle but losing the war.
“As for the logo and endorsement letters, that is a matter for the Supreme Council’s decision and the chairman’s signature,” he said in a statement today.
His remarks were in response to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement that the party would remain in PN and contest the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections using the coalition’s logo.
Muhyiddin said Bersatu, as a founding member of PN, had no reason to leave the coalition.
Questions raised over Bersatu’s intentions
Syahir questioned whether Bersatu’s decision to contest against PAS was motivated by a desire to benefit PH.
“Unless there are parties who wish to become a stepping stone for PH, as had been attempted before.
“At that time, PAS prevented it. Hopefully, history will not repeat itself,” he said.
His remarks appeared to refer to previous speculation that Bersatu could resume cooperation with the federal government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
However, Bersatu secretary-general Mohamed Azmin Ali had previously rejected such claims, describing them as slander and a deliberate attempt by certain parties to undermine unity within Bersatu and PN.
Seat talks should prioritise incumbency
Syahir also said seat negotiations in Johor and Negeri Sembilan should be guided by the principle of incumbency in each constituency.
He added that a party’s ability to secure victory should also be taken into account, including the strength of its machinery, public support and the acceptability of its candidates.
“Assess the strength of the party machinery, public support and the acceptability of the candidate.
“Even if there is a desire to fight, don’t invite us. PAS has been contesting elections for 75 years.
“If we share the same direction, we should move forward together. The decision rests with the wisdom of the coalition’s top leadership,” he said.
