Kerjasama BN-PN di Pahang bergantung kepada PAS

Analysts believe the electoral cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) in Pahang hinges on PAS's acceptance. Two analysts contacted by FMT acknowledged PAS's strength in opposing Umno in Pahang, with Azmi Hassan stating they are equally strong, while Mazlan Ali described their relationship as somewhat balanced.

When PAS announced its willingness to discuss choosing a chief minister with Umno, Mazlan questioned the share of parliamentary seats the party might accept. Given PAS's strong position, could PAS agree to share seats with Umno? Could PAS be willing to cede seats to Umno, according to an analyst from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

PN may request more seats than it currently holds, as it could almost win by a narrow margin in some areas. On Saturday, PAS Pahang Advisor Rosli Abdul Jabar announced PAS's readiness to discuss selecting a chief minister with Umno, echoing Umno Deputy President Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail's statement that cooperation between Umno and PAS in the 16th general election was not impossible.

Currently, Umno and PAS each hold 17 and 15 seats, respectively. Umno formed the state government with MCA and MIC, each contributing one seat, and Pakatan Harapan contributed 10 seats, comprising six from DAP, three from PKR, and one from Amanah. PAS, meanwhile, was in the opposition bloc alongside Bersatu, holding two seats. Azmi Hassan, a former Professor of Law, noted PAS's recent success in Negeri Sembilan, where the party won three out of four seats allocated to PN.

He suggested that BN-PN cooperation could occur unless Umno or PAS, along with Wawasan, wished to contest more seats than they currently hold. PAS's 17 seats, shared with Bersatu, which does not align with PN at present, could influence the outcome. In terms of selecting a chief minister, Azmi believed Umno had a slight advantage due to its incumbent status and closer ties with Pahang's palace compared to PAS.