Umno backs greater cooperation with Pas, says Asyraf Wajdi

KOTA BHARU – Umno supports efforts to strengthen cooperation with Pas, with Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki saying both parties must work towards political stability, harmony and prosperity.

He said Umno accepted Pas’ invitation to the 72nd PAS Annual Muktamar after the matter was discussed by the party’s supreme council.

“We received the official invitation and discussed it in the supreme council. As Malays and Muslims, we accepted the invitation with an open heart,” he told reporters during a sideline interview at Pusat Tarbiyah Islam Kelantan (PUTIK) here today.

Asked whether Umno would invite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to its upcoming general assembly, Asyraf said the party would extend invitations to those who had invited Umno to their respective assemblies.

“We will send invitations to those who invited us to their general assembly,” he said.

He also stressed that Umno would continue to support efforts towards greater unity among Muslims and Malays, while respecting the country’s multiracial and multireligious composition.

“We support the unity of the ummah, as hoped for by the majority of the people. But as I have stressed, unity of the ummah does not mean denying other races or religions.

“The foundation of our country is Malay and Islam,” he said.

Asyraf also stressed that the cooperation should not be interpreted as a revival of Muafakat Nasional, but rather as efforts to ensure the two largest Malay-based parties can work together on issues affecting the community and country.

“This is not Muafakat Nasional. As mentioned by our president, we support any agenda that can ensure the hopes of the Malays, where these two largest parties can have good cooperation,” he said.

He said such cooperation was important in fulfilling the broader aspiration for a politically stable, harmonious and prosperous Malaysia.

“The most important thing is that it can provide a great national aspiration for a country that wants to see a political situation that is more stable, harmonious and prosperous,” he said.

On the Umno’s upcoming general assembly, Asyraf said preparations were well underway, with nearly 7,000 delegates expected to attend.

He said more than 50,000 people, including the wider Umno family, were expected to attend programmes held from Sept 8 to 12, with the response so far described as encouraging.