Umno warns against ‘third parties’ disrupting alliances
Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki says Umno has seen alliances fail due to third parties, pointing to PAS deserting MN to form PN with Bersatu
Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party remained very cautious about cooperating with others, including PAS.
PETALING JAYA: Any party that wishes to cooperate with Umno must be careful about being influenced by third parties, says party secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Asyraf said Umno has seen alliances fail due to the devices of third parties, pointing to the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact with PAS which fell apart after the Islamic party formed Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu.
He warned that these third parties may even come from within, Berita Harian reported.
“Our efforts to establish political cooperation have often been thwarted by third parties. The same goes for MN as it failed because of third parties (Bersatu).
“In this borderless era of social media, some parties want to pretend to be heroes, issuing statements that overstep their boundaries, thus causing unease within their own party,” he was quoted as saying.
While Umno led Barisan Nasional in cooperating with PN in the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan polls, Asyraf said the party remains very cautious about cooperating with others.
“Once bitten, twice shy. It wasn’t us who betrayed the MN pact; they (PAS) are the ones who left. So we are taking a cautious approach so that Umno isn’t betrayed again. We have dignity,” he added.
BN won 18 seats in the Negeri Sembilan polls while PAS-led PN secured seven, giving their alliance a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.
While BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said their pact will continue in the Melaka polls, which is expected by the end of the year, the two coalitions appear to have reached an impasse in seat negotiations.
Zahid said BN intends to defend all 21 seats it won in the last state election, but PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang insists preliminary talks are still going on.
Hamzah Zainudin, president of PN component Wawasan, had also called for both coalitions to adopt a give-and-take approach in seat talks.
Asyraf said Umno has seen alliances fail due to the devices of third parties, pointing to the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact with PAS which fell apart after the Islamic party formed Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu.
He warned that these third parties may even come from within, Berita Harian reported.
“Our efforts to establish political cooperation have often been thwarted by third parties. The same goes for MN as it failed because of third parties (Bersatu).
“In this borderless era of social media, some parties want to pretend to be heroes, issuing statements that overstep their boundaries, thus causing unease within their own party,” he was quoted as saying.
While Umno led Barisan Nasional in cooperating with PN in the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan polls, Asyraf said the party remains very cautious about cooperating with others.
“Once bitten, twice shy. It wasn’t us who betrayed the MN pact; they (PAS) are the ones who left. So we are taking a cautious approach so that Umno isn’t betrayed again. We have dignity,” he added.
BN won 18 seats in the Negeri Sembilan polls while PAS-led PN secured seven, giving their alliance a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.
While BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said their pact will continue in the Melaka polls, which is expected by the end of the year, the two coalitions appear to have reached an impasse in seat negotiations.
Zahid said BN intends to defend all 21 seats it won in the last state election, but PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang insists preliminary talks are still going on.
Hamzah Zainudin, president of PN component Wawasan, had also called for both coalitions to adopt a give-and-take approach in seat talks.
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