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PAS has been accused of attempting to entice Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties with ambiguous offers that hold no guaranteed benefit, according to BN Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Commenting on a recent statement by PAS Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who welcomed MCA and MIC into the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, Zahid described it as a personal opinion lacking tangible promise.
"I am aware there have been efforts made by them to fish for our friends within BN's component parties using offers that do not necessarily promise any meaningful gains," Zahid said.
He was speaking to reporters following the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development's monthly assembly on Monday.
Tuan Ibrahim had earlier told a local newspaper that PAS is open to MCA and MIC joining PN, following apparent dissatisfaction among BN component parties over their exclusion from government representation.
MIC, alongside UMNO and MCA, was part of the original Alliance coalition in 1955, which later evolved into Barisan Nasional in 1974.
Tensions within BN have escalated in recent months, with some MCA leaders voicing discomfort over UMNO’s increasingly cordial ties with DAP, which they say contradict longstanding party principles. The alliance between UMNO and DAP has come under heightened scrutiny since the formation of the Unity Government in late 2022.
The issue intensified further when MIC Kedah recently passed a resolution supporting cooperation with PN, suggesting a possible breakaway from BN. However, MIC Kedah clarified that the final decision rests with the party’s central leadership.
Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said that to date, MIC’s central leadership has not held any discussions with him on the matter.
"That resolution came from one or two divisions, and the top leadership has not even discussed it with me, let alone brought it to the BN Supreme Council," he said.
On a separate note, Zahid confirmed that Barisan Nasional will focus its Sabah state election efforts on winnable constituencies.
"The readiness of our machinery across all 73 state assembly seats in Sabah has long been in motion. We are now identifying the strategic constituencies we want to focus on," he said.
Zahid also confirmed that negotiations between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) have been finalised ahead of the Sabah state election, while talks with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) remain unresolved.
"We have solidified and concluded negotiations with PH. However, discussions with GRS are still ongoing. At this point, we continue to respect the cooperation between PH and GRS," Zahid said.
"What matters most is winning. So our emphasis is on constituencies we believe we can win—that is our main focus," he added.
BN and PH have formalised their electoral cooperation for the Sabah state election. GRS has also indicated willingness to work with PH at the state level.
Earlier last month, PH entered into negotiations with both BN and GRS to avoid three-cornered fights in the upcoming election.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described the consensus as a strategy to ensure collaboration among the three coalitions, in the interest of political stability and Federal–State relations.
On 18 August, Anwar held a meeting with Zahid and GRS Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at the Prime Minister’s Office. Anwar later characterised the meeting as a sign of political maturity and commitment to national stability. - Sept 2, 2025