Rundingan kerusi Umno-PAS dijangka sukar menjelang PRU16, kata penganalisis

Analysts suggest Umno-PAS talks will be challenging as the party’s election calendar approaches. Hadi Awang and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, representing Umno and PAS respectively, have each rejected the idea of early polling in Terengganu to test the stability of PAS’s coalition with the Barisan Nasional (BN). Azmi Hassan, an analyst from the Nusantara Academy, pointed out that Hadi Awang’s stance reflects PAS's desire to retain control of the SG4 bloc (Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Perlis).

According to Azmi, all seats currently held by PAS in these states are intended to be retained and not handed over to others, including the BN. He emphasized that this includes the four states where PAS holds around 90% of the seats. Hadi previously stated that there is no need for separate polls in these four states, suggesting a more practical approach of holding them simultaneously with the PRU16.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man rejected Mohamad Hasan’s proposal, stating that supporting early polls in Terengganu does not mean PAS must agree to early elections. He also stressed that the stability of the Terengganu government and the reluctance of voters to bear unnecessary costs should be considered. Azmi believes that any cooperation talks between BN and PAS might need to be resolved on a state-by-state basis.

He mentioned that Melaka could serve as a test case to see how both parties handle their demands, with PAS aiming to secure more than seven seats from the remaining ones after the BN confirms retaining all 21 seats it currently holds. Despite this, Umno political analyst Mazlan Ali warns that prospects for Umno-PAS cooperation remain far from clear, as PAS has rejected the idea of early polls in the SG4 bloc.

He warns that PAS's reluctance to experiment with formula cooperation in these four states could complicate efforts to reach a broader consensus before the PRU16. Mazlan advises Umno to seek PAS's guarantee before proceeding with a large-scale sharing of seats, stating that Umno could also turn to other alliances if PAS refuses to compromise.