Usul ‘wajib’ PAS mungkin beri tekanan kepada Umno, kata penganalisis

PAS leader Takiyuddin Hassan suggested that cooperation between PAS and Umno could be considered as an 'obligatory opinion' at PAS's 72nd Muktamar. Political analyst Tawfik Yaakub stated that if PAS agrees to this opinion, it only shows that they are serious about cooperating with Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) again through their representation mandate.

The academic from Universiti Malaya emphasized that PAS does not want to rely solely on statements from certain leaders. Instead, they aim to institutionalize the establishment based on the approval of representation. The PAS meeting schedule (from Sept 4 to 5) before the Umno General Assembly (Sept 11-12) gives PAS the first chance to set the narrative about cooperation between the two parties.

If the Muktamar strongly supports this cooperation, attention will automatically shift to Umno afterward, he said to FMT. However, Tawfik added that Umno does not necessarily have to lead or approve such an opinion, as their political situation is different. He referred to the position and commitment of the BN/Umno in a unity government, as well as the need to consider relations with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Therefore, the pressure on Umno is more of an indirect pressure and a perception of the root cause rather than an organizational obligation to follow PAS's decision. PAS Deputy Secretary-General Takiyuddin Hassan said on Tuesday that cooperation between PAS and Umno is expected to be one of the 'obligatory opinions' discussed at PAS's 72nd Muktamar.

PAS and Umno have previously cooperated through the Muafakat Nasional (MN) after the 2014 general election, but this cooperation ended without any further development after the formation of the Perikatan Nasional (PN), which included both PAS and Umno, prior to the 2015 general election. However, the BN-PN without Bersatu created understanding in the Perhimpunan Negeri Sembilan on August 1, which witnessed the victory of the state, and potentially opened avenues for cooperation during the 2016 general election.

Analyst Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) said that the status of the obligatory opinion indicates that PAS is serious about opening space for cooperation, but it cannot be equated with a decision to form a political alliance. According to him, the authority of the Muktamar only gives PAS the power to deliberate, while the actual implementation remains dependent on Umno's approval.

He added that the real possibility is that both parties can achieve cooperation by dividing seats for certain voting options without forming a formal political alliance. "The real measure is not the decision of the two Muktamaras, but whether PAS and Umno can divide seats afterward. Furthermore, coordinating candidates and avoiding competition among themselves," he said.