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PAS has not discussed any plans to revive the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact with Bersatu, according to party information chief Datuk Razali Idris. Utusan Malaysia reported Razali as saying that any decision to revive the pact, including with UMNO, must be discussed with the top leadership of Perikatan Nasional (PN) along with that of the two main component parties.
"We have never discussed the matter. This is something that must be decided by the top leadership of both main component parties as well as PN," he was quoted as saying. “So far, we have yet to receive any proposal or invitation to work together.”
Meanwhile, UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said MN no longer exists and the party’s focus at the moment is its cooperation with the unity government until the 16th General Election (GE16).
"MN for this current term is no more. We (UMNO) stand with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to combat corruption and address the issue of poverty in the country," he said.
Mohd Sharkar further noted that any efforts to revive MN should go through former Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who had registered MN as a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Another UMNO Supreme Council member had recently criticised PAS for persistently raising the possibility of reviving the MN pact between the two parties. According to Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi, UMNO has "closed the book" on the matter, claiming that PAS was only trying to divide the parties in the unity government.
Puad’s statement came following PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Hashim Jasin’s remark that hinted at the possible revival of the UMNO-PAS relationship through MN before GE16. Sinar Harian reported Hashim saying that the Islamist party is always open to welcoming a relationship with UMNO, provided that the latter cut its ties with DAP.
He mentioned that the MN agenda, previously proposed by PAS and UMNO, had been progressing well with strong grassroots support. However, during that period, UMNO was unwilling to accept Bersatu.
Formerly a union between PAS and UMNO, MN was declared defunct ahead of the 15th general election. Its name has since been used by an unrelated NGO led by Annuar.
Despite PAS's openness to reviving the MN pact, UMNO's stance seems firm in its current direction, aligning with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's leadership within the unity government. The dynamics between PAS, UMNO, and other parties within PN continue to evolve, with discussions likely ongoing behind the scenes.
The future of the MN pact remains uncertain, with differing opinions and priorities among the parties involved. As Malaysia moves closer to the 16th General Election, the political landscape is expected to undergo further shifts and realignments, making the path to any potential revival of the MN pact complex and challenging.
It is evident that while PAS remains open to the idea of reviving the MN pact, UMNO's current focus is on its cooperation within the unity government until the upcoming general election. The divergent views and priorities among the parties suggest that any potential revival of the MN pact would require extensive discussions and consensus-building.
As Malaysia's political landscape continues to evolve, the future of the MN pact remains uncertain. The decisions made by PAS, UMNO, and other parties in the coming months will significantly impact the direction of Malaysian politics and the alliances formed leading up to the 16th General Election.
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