PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man says the Terengganu state election and the 16th general election (GE16) are separate matters, rejecting a claim by former Umno leader Puad Zarkashi that the party has been inconsistent over early elections.
Tuan Ibrahim said his support for an earlier GE16 did not mean PAS had to agree with a proposal to hold the Terengganu state election earlier as well.
“A general election is not the same as a state election,” he told FMT when commenting on Puad’s statement that PAS’ use of election costs as a reason for rejecting an early Terengganu poll reinforced the view that the party was not sincere in cooperating ahead of GE16.
Puad questions PAS’ position
Puad, a former Umno Supreme Council member, had questioned Tuan Ibrahim’s position, saying the PAS leader had previously supported bringing forward GE16 while rejecting a proposal to dissolve the Terengganu state assembly earlier.
Last week, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan urged the PAS-led Terengganu government to dissolve the state assembly and hold a snap election to demonstrate the party’s sincerity over Malay unity.
Mohamad said that if Umno and PAS could agree on a formula for seat allocations in Terengganu, a similar approach could be adopted for GE16.
However, Tuan Ibrahim rejected the proposal, saying an early state election would burden voters and incur unnecessary costs.
Different positions on early polls
Tuan Ibrahim had earlier said there was no need for an early Terengganu state election, as the state government was stable. He also said elections should not be used as a test of political cooperation.
At the same time, Tuan Ibrahim said PAS supported bringing forward GE16. He said on Sept 3 that the party agreed with calls for an earlier general election.
In the August 2023 Terengganu election, Umno failed to win any of the 32 state seats it contested.
The party also lost all eight parliamentary seats in the state in the 15th general election in 2022.
