Start of PAS-Umno muzakarah?
K Pragalath, FMT
PAS-led Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob met Umno president Najib Tun Razak at the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya this morning and this could mark start of the long-awaited Umno-PAS dialogue.
A Bernama report confirmed that the two held a 45-minute discussion at Perdana Putra and talks were centred on the assistance of the federal government to the state.
Although it is common for a state MB to meet the PM, the timing of this meeting coming right at the heel of the willingness expressed by both Umno and PAS to meet and discuss do suggest a different agenda.
Also present at the meeting, which began at 9am, was Kelantan Umno liaison chief and International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapha Mohamad, chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa, Kelantan state exco for infrastructure, utility and information technology Hanifa Ahmad, Kelantan state secretary Zainuddin Ibrahim.
Najib announced on Monday that Umno was willing to sit down with Islamic party PAS on the issue of implementing an administration that is based on Islam in the country.
“We are willing to hold discussions with PAS but we need to know what is the scope of discussions,” Najib had said, adding that Umno needed to know what PAS was seeking.
Najib also disclosed, three days ago, that he had received a letter from Ahmad Yaakob requesting a meeting.
“I will be meeting Ahmad soon because he requested it,” Najib had said earlier this week, declining to elaborate further.
On Sunday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, closing the 59th PAS muktamar said if Umno was committed to implementing an administration that was based on Islam, then both parties should discuss about it.
Abdul Hadi said the party was ready to muzakarah as it could result in better unity among Muslims in the country.
He had said that issues, such as the use of the word “Allah” and other problems, which were splitting the Muslim faithful, could be resolved if Umno and PAS talked to each other.
