Melaka state election: UMNO to continue cooperation with PAS - Ahmad Maslan

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the stand was in line with the resolutions of the party's General Assembly last year, among others to strengthen Muafakat Nasional (MN) which was formed by the two parties.

"The basis of the cooperation with PAS was guided by the principle that PAS would use its own party symbol in line with the spirit and resolution of MN Main Committee in a meeting on Oct 19 2020.

"It is also to avoid clashes between the two parties and at the same time maintained the use of the respective party's symbols in elections," he said.

Ahmad Maslan was speaking at a media conference after an UMNO Supreme Council Meeting chaired by party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at Menara Dato' Onn, here last night.

According to him, the meeting also agreed to appoint UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan as Melaka state election director apart from giving mandate to Ahmad Zahid and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to finalise any decision relating to the state election.

He also said the meeting did not finalise the names of candidates and division of seats for Melaka state election.

On the issue of compound on Barisan Nasional for violating the standard operating procedure (SOP) of Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) by holding the launching of Melaka state election machinery at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur here on Wednesday, Ahmad said the party would be appealing to the Ministry of Health (MOH) for the compound to be reduced.

"Our understanding is that when MOH issues the new statement on new SOP, it refers to campaign activities in Melaka. We did not deliberately breach the stipulated SOP and that is why the launching of machinery was not held at one hall...because we want to comply with SOP, we held it in two halls," he said.

In this regard, he said UMNO hoped the Election Commission (EC) and the National Security Council (MKN) to give relaxation to political parties to campaign from house-to-house with limited participants for Melaka state election.

"We hope they would allow the setting up of operation rooms with the presence of limited individuals as they are assisting the machinery to disseminate announcements, the move did not mean UMNO and BN are not sensitive to the health of the people," he said.