From rivals to allies? Akmal floats Umno–Pas reset

SHAH ALAM – Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh is signalling a willingness to rebuild ties with Pas as political uncertainty in Perlis continues following the appointment of a Bersatu leader as Menteri Besar.

Akmal previously said both parties could work towards transforming their relationship from political rivals into allies.

“Friends turn on friends, friends become opponents. But Insya-ALLAH, we can work on turning opponents into friends,” he said in a Facebook post on Sunday.

His remarks were made in response to a Facebook post by Pas information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who commented on friends turning against friends without directly referring to the Perlis situation or Pas’s relationship with Bersatu.

“Friends turn on friends. It means friends have chosen to become opponents,” Fadhli said.

The post by the Pasir Mas Member of Parliament prompted widespread reactions among followers.

Some linked it to the ongoing political crisis in Perlis, while others urged Pas to reassess its political alliances in the state.

The crisis escalated after Perlis Bersatu state leadership council chief Abu Bakar Hamzah was sworn in as the 12th Menteri Besar, replacing Pas assemblyman Mohd Shukri Ramli, who resigned citing health reasons.

Earlier, eight Perikatan Nasional (PN) assemblymen, five from Bersatu and three from Pas, had submitted statutory declarations withdrawing their support for Mohd Shukri.

In response to the developments, Akmal proposed that PN be dissolved and that Muafakat Nasional (MN) be revived.

He further added that calls to strengthen MN had already been raised before the 15th General Election.

MN, whose charter was signed on September 14, 2019 between Umno and Pas, was considered defunct after Pas decided to cooperate with Bersatu under PN to face the 15th General Election.

That decision also breached the condition set by Umno, which required Pas to leave Bersatu if it wished to continue cooperating under MN.