Pas Losing Faith In Bersatu Say Analysts

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Two influential PAS leaders have urged the party to contest the next general election using its own party symbol. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Calls from PAS leaders for the party to use its own logo in the coming general election are a sign of the party losing faith in Bersatu, says political analyst James Chin.
He said the party saw a “limited future” in the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, following the losses in the Johor and Melaka state elections.
“The most important thing for PAS is to retain the state governments in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah,” said Chin. “They know they will do better using their own logo. They might even lose or do poorly if they use PN’s logo.”
He added that seat negotiations would be a determining factor on which logo is used at the general election.
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James Chin.“If PN gives a lot of seats to PAS to contest, then it’s likely that PAS will use the PN logo. If they come around and say PAS is limited to a certain number of seats, then I’m quite sure that PAS will use their own logo,” said Chin, who is with University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the Johor and Melaka polls had demonstrated that the PN symbol was “of no use” to PAS.
Azmi Hassan.“There’s no value added to PAS. To be more specific, Bersatu itself cannot help PAS to gain more votes or at least to win seats in this case.”
“The writing is on the wall, PAS will be out of PN. With Bersatu having major internal problems, the likelihood of PAS coming out of PN is very high where GE15 is concerned,” he said.
Earlier, PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin said it would be better for the party to contest in GE15 using its own logo, which he said was known to be “clean”.
PAS central committee member Zuhdi Marzuki had also said the party’s logo was crucial in securing its success in GE15, especially in its strongholds such as the east coast.
Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid.Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) said: “The people making these calls aren’t ordinary PAS members. Zuhdi used to be the head of PAS’ research centre. And, while (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang calls the shots in the party, what Hashim says is still very significant.”
He said Hashim’s emphasis on the PAS logo being “clean” came after Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin was alleged to be linked with funds from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB), a company implicated in the corruption trial of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Fauzi said PAS would not want to be dragged down by the allegations, as that would affect the party’s performance in mixed urban areas.
PAS used the PN logo at the Johor and Melaka polls, both of which were won by Barisan Nasional (BN), which regained a two-thirds majority in both states. - FMT

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