PAS didn’t discuss MN revival plans with Bersatu, says Razali

Razali Idris said there has been no proposal from PAS on its intention to cooperate with Umno under the Muafakat Nasional pact.

PETALING JAYA: PAS has not discussed with Bersatu any plans to revive the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact with Umno, according to Razali Idris.

The Bersatu information chief said if PAS wanted to revive its cooperation with Umno, it should first raise the matter with the top leadership of the two main components in Perikatan Nasional (PN), Utusan Malaysia reported.

“We never discussed the matter. This is something that must be decided by the top leadership in both parties as well as that of PN.

“So far, we have not received any proposal or invitation to work together (with Umno),” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Council member Sharkar Shamsudin said MN has been buried and the party is now focusing on working with the unity government until the next general election.

“At this point, MN does not exist. We (Umno) stand with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to combat corruption and address poverty in the country,” he said.

He added that any efforts to revive MN should go through former Ketereh MP Annuar Musa, who has registered “Muafakat Nasional” as a NGO. The former Umno leader joined PAS last June.

Last week, PAS spiritual adviser Hashim Jasin said he was “confident” that informal talks between the leaders of the Islamic party and Umno to revive MN would yield results.

The former Sanglang assemblyman said “official meetings may not have taken place yet”, but he believes there have been efforts at all levels of both parties’ leadership to revive MN.

Umno Supreme Council leader Puad Zarkashi, however, said his party has “closed the book” on the matter and claimed that PAS was only trying to divide the parties in the unity government by persistently raising the possibility of a revival of the MN pact.

MN was formed in September 2019 when both parties were in the opposition bloc following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 14th general election in May 2018.