MARANG – The cooperation and understanding established between Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election is not a political show or merely a fabrication.
Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang stressed that claims or perceptions raised by certain parties regarding the relationship were unfounded, as both parties had given their full commitment in terms of manpower and finances throughout the campaign period.
“It is not a show, we are spending money. Pas members campaign using their own expenses and contribute their full efforts. Umno members have also spent money. What kind of show is that?,” he said when met by reporters after delivering a duha lecture at Masjid Rusila here on Friday.
Hadi said this in response to views from certain quarters questioning the sincerity of the cooperation between the machinery of the two coalitions at the grassroots level.
Previously, PN completed its cooperation arrangement with BN after announcing 11 candidates from the coalition who will contest in the Negeri Sembilan state election, scheduled to take place on Aug 1.
The announcement completed the line-up for all 36 State Legislative Assembly seats, after BN had earlier announced 25 candidates.
Commenting on the coalition’s campaign developments, Hadi said the relationship and cooperation between the party machinery had reached a very good level.
He said joint group talks and coalition-level ceramah sessions had also begun being organised at various levels, proving that the cooperation was being carried out in practice.
“It is very good and there have already been joint ceramah sessions. InsyaAllah, I will also go down to participate in the series of talks this week,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hadi said disagreements or the previous “marriage and divorce” phases in the relationship between Pas and Umno were normal occurrences in politics.
He said such differences only involved secondary matters and did not concern the core principles of both parties.
“That is normal. Differences of opinion happen. The contest is over matters of approach, not principles. In terms of principles, there is no difference between Pas and Umno. Pas is based on Islam, while Umno is based on Malay identity. Malay and Islam cannot be separated.
“When Siamese people and Chinese people embrace Islam, (people say) they become Malay. When Indians embrace Islam, they become Malay. We only differ in terms of approach, not principles,” he added.
When asked about his assessment of the direction and sustainability of the relationship between the two parties in the long term, Hadi expressed hope that it would continue for the benefit of the people and the country.
“We hope it will last this time, InsyaAllah, to save the country,” he said.