PAS still hoping to avoid clashing with UMNO in GE15 - Mohd Amar

KOTA BHARU: PAS is still hoping to work out an understanding with UMNO to avoid three-cornered fights in the 15th general election (GE15), especially in Kelantan, said PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.

However, he said PAS was prepared for any eventuality, including battling it out with UMNO in Kelantan.

"If Kelantan UMNO insists on going it alone, we just have to deal with it. I have said before that we are prepared for any eventuality. If we have to fight UMNO, so be it.

"We are just hoping that this will not happen. We want to reach an understanding to avert three-cornered contests," he told reporters after a Kelantan Perikatan Nasional (PN) gathering here last night.

Mohd Amar, who is Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar, said if PAS and UMNO could work out an electoral understanding, Pakatan Harapan would not be able to win.

He said in the event of three-cornered fights in Kelantan, PAS was still confident of winning.

In GEORGE TOWN, Penang PAS information chief Abdul Razib Abdul Rahim said the state PAS was trying to ensure straight fights in GE15 in line with efforts by the party's central leadership to focus on uniting the ummah.

In a statement today, he said Penang was the power base of PH-DAP, and therefore it was particularly crucial for Malay parties in the state to unite and prevent them from coming to power.

"Clashes among Malay parties in Penang will be detrimental to Malay-Islam politics, so straight fights should be the main agenda in the state in GE15.

"'Islam Unites the Ummah' is a slogan which should be embraced by supporters of PAS so that efforts to unite Malay parties can bear fruit in line with the party's principles and policies," he added.

-- BERNAMA