KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said PAS, being a large and established party, should be the dominant party in Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Therefore, he said that PAS should have its own views and the right to voice them out in the coalition, including in determining whether the party will cooperate with other parties or coalitions after the 15th general election (GE15).
“I was given to understand that Bersatu president (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) was not pleased with the purported statement by PAS secretary-general (Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan), who stated the willingness to cooperate with BN (Barisan Nasional).
“PAS is a large party and is older than Bersatu, they should be dominant and have a say in PN,” he told reporters after a community event with residents of Seri Perlis 2 Public Housing, Keramat here tonight, together with BN candidate for Titiwangsa, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Ismail Sabri was commenting on a statement reportedly made by Takiyuddin stating that PAS was willing to cooperate with BN if it did not obtain a simple majoirty in GE15.
PN president, Muhyiddin then was reported to have said that PN never gave Takiyuddin the mandate to negotiate with BN for the purpose of forming a government after GE15.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the actions of Bersatu’s leaders of criticising PAS’s views was something that should not occur.
“If that’s the case, PAS needs to think about cooperating with other political parties,” he said, adding that PAS’s suggestion will be discussed by the UMNO supreme council if BN failed to form the government after GE15.
On allegations by Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that there were discussions between UMNO and PN leaders for cooperation, Ismail Sabri said, “As far as I know, it was never discussed.”
