Pas Eyes Ge15 With Melaka Game Plan

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By working with Bersatu, it could hope to be in a better position when negotiating for seats with the more powerful “big brother” Umno during GE15.
(FMT) – Although PAS has announced it will contest under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner in the Melaka polls, the Islamist party has no intention of ending its ties with Umno in the Muafakat Nasional coalition, a source in the know said.
Instead, he said, PAS was warming up to Bersatu in PN in a bid to neutralise Umno and have a bargaining chip when discussions on seat allocation for GE15 are held with Umno.
He told FMT that unlike in Kelantan or Terengganu, PAS was not accepted in Melaka and therefore had nothing to lose. By working with Bersatu, it could hope to be in a better position when negotiating for seats with the more powerful “big brother” Umno during GE15.
PAS hopes to send a message that it can work with PN in GE15, which could lead to straight fights with Umno. That, in turn, would threaten the traditional Malay party’s domination in areas it won with a slim majority in GE14.
“PAS is looking at ways to be in a stronger position during Muafakat Nasional seat talks for GE15.”
By warming up to PN in Melaka, PAS is also hoping to avoid straight fights with Bersatu in GE15, the source said.
This will likely leave Bersatu and Umno facing off against each other in GE15, leaving PAS free to battle only against the opposition in most of the seats it contests.
However, it will likely have to take on Umno in Perak, Perlis, Kedah and Terengganu, where Umno would want the lion’s share.
Both PAS and Umno feel they can capture Kedah and Terengganu, with Umno moving in to place bigwigs in Terengganu.
“Umno has already started working on putting its men in Terengganu to win the state. Both PAS and Umno want their man as the Terengganu menteri besar. Terengganu is the biggest obstacle for talks between Umno and PAS,” he said.
If PAS was weak, it would likely have to give in, the source said. However, the moves in Melaka may strengthen the Islamist party’s hand.
PAS hopes to be kingmaker
Political analyst Azmi Hassan agreed that PAS wanted to have the upper hand over Umno.
“It knows Umno will want to work with PAS during GE15 to win back seats lost by slim majorities in GE14,” he told FMT.
Muafakat Nasional, he said, was likely to continue as Umno would want to use PAS to woo fence-sitters, while PAS would want to gain more Malay seats.
However, he said, PAS might still have to give way because its tryst with Bersatu might not work.
“Bersatu does not have the grassroots support,” said Azmi.

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