‘No need to test us’: PAS rules out early Terengganu polls

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has dismissed the idea of early state elections in Terengganu, stating that the current government is stable and performing well. He emphasized that elections should not be used as a means to test political cooperation or measure sincerity. Tuan Ibrahim argued that state elections should only be held when necessary, such as when the term has ended or there is a compelling reason to do so.

He suggested dissolving Parliament and seeking a fresh national mandate instead. This stance comes in response to Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan's proposal for an election in PAS-led Terengganu to prove the Islamic party's commitment to Malay unity. Umno lost all 27 seats in Terengganu's 2023 state election, while the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition won all 32 seats, marking the first time Terengganu had no opposition in a state election.

PN and PAS had previously formed an electoral pact, winning 26 of the 36 seats in Negeri Sembilan's recent state election. However, this alliance is now in jeopardy as Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamdi insists on contesting all 21 seats won by BN in 2021, while PN claims negotiations are still ongoing. Melaka's state election, with 28 seats, is set to be the next battleground, but the situation remains uncertain.