Pejuang man slams call for PAS to cede a third of seats to Umno

Pejuang's information chief, Rafique Rashid Ali, has criticized a proposal suggesting PAS should give a third of its seats in the four states it governs to Umno. Ali argued that political cooperation demands clear principles, shared policies, and mutual respect for party differences. He questioned why the one-third formula must be announced before negotiations conclude, stating that if unity of the ummah is the objective, the type of unity should be clearly defined - whether it's electoral cooperation, power-sharing, or specific policy understanding.

These factors should be determined before seat numbers are used to gauge sincerity, Ali said. PAS deputy chairman Nur Jazlan Mohamed suggested PAS should not contest every seat in Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, and Perlis, proposing a two-thirds share instead. Ali asked if this was Nur Jazlan's personal view or Umno's official stance.

He also noted that the states have varying electoral histories and political circumstances, suggesting a one-size-fits-all seat allocation formula may not be appropriate. Despite the need for political negotiations, Ali emphasized that effective negotiations require clarity, not mere media announcements of demands.