Cooperation talks between PAS and UMNO have made no progress, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has said, dismissing speculation that UMNO had offered PAS state executive council posts to lure the Islamist party into an alliance ahead of crucial state elections.
Tuan Ibrahim was quoted by Berita Harian as saying negotiations conducted through internal committees involving leaders from both parties have not resulted in any agreement so far, and that claims UMNO had offered PAS state executive council posts and other appointments were "mere rumours."
"No decision on cooperation has been made. These are just rumours," he said, according to Berita Harian.
The PAS deputy president, who is also Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chairman, said PAS remains committed to contesting in both the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections this year and has begun internal preparations including seat negotiations within the PN coalition.
His remarks come amid growing speculation that PAS, now operating independently of Bersatu, may seek a rapprochement with UMNO through the revival of the now-defunct Muafakat Nasional (MN) alliance. The two Malay-Muslim parties formed MN in 2019 but the pact collapsed the following year when PAS joined Bersatu in the PN coalition.
Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that a recent meeting took place between PAS and UMNO leaders to discuss political stability, but emphasised that discussions regarding reviving MN were not on the table.
Meanwhile, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said decisions on the party's election strategy, seat allocations, and the logo to be used for the Johor polls would be finalised following a special briefing with state party leaders.
The stalled cooperation talks underscore the complex political calculus facing both Malay-Muslim parties as they navigate a fragmented electoral landscape. With UMNO-led BN committed to contesting all seats solo in Negeri Sembilan, and PAS charting its own course post-Bersatu split, the prospect of a unified Malay-Muslim front appears increasingly remote.
Both the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state assemblies were dissolved in early June, triggering elections that must be held within 60 days. The polls are widely seen as a critical test of the ruling Unity Government's stability and a bellwether for the 16th General Election.
Sources: The Malaysian Reserve, Berita Harian, Bernama
