PAS plays down Zahid’s absence at muktamar, says BN-PN cooperation intact

PAS has dismissed reports suggesting that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s absence from the party’s muktamar yesterday indicated a rift in the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional cooperation ahead of the Melaka election. Takiyuddin Hassan, PAS secretary-general, stated that such speculation is not true. He affirmed, "Not at all (speculation of a breakdown).

Absolutely not. I can confirm this because I am among those directly involved." His confirmation stems from his direct involvement in the negotiations among the two coalitions. Takiyuddin clarified that Zahid was unable to attend due to "unavoidable reasons." Notably, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki led the delegation in his stead, marking the first time Umno representatives had attended PAS’s annual meeting since 2019.

At a press conference following the 72nd PAS muktamar, Takiyuddin emphasized the ongoing efforts to bolster Muslim unity through dialogues among PAS, Umno, and other parties within the PN coalition. While he did not rule out the potential inclusion of parties from Sabah and Sarawak, he noted that the timing for discussing such possibilities has not yet arrived.