Umno Youth permanent chairman Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said it may be ineffective for both Umno and PAS to be focused on political coalitions or alliances, which he described as being intricately complex and divisive at times.
He said Malay-Muslim parties like themselves would be better off “fostering a spirit of reconciliation and unity” with the goal of identifying and tackling common issues affecting the Bumiputera and Malay communities.
“Recent developments in our politics, particularly the cessation of efforts to revive the MN pact between Umno and PAS, call for a strategic pivot in our approach to addressing critical issues facing the Bumiputera and Malay communities.
“This approach does not dismiss the importance of political alliances but suggests a temporary pause on coalition discussions until the next general election.
“Such a pause would provide a valuable opportunity for reflection, assessment, and the realignment of priorities that transcend political affiliations,” he told FMT.
Wan Agyl said efforts to unite Malay-Muslim parties could not sideline Malaysia’s multiracial society, which he described as being foundational aspects of the nation.
He said Umno and PAS should look to establish a political environment where Bumiputera issues are tackled within a broader context of national unity and inclusivity.
Wan Agyl was responding to PAS spiritual adviser Hashim Jasin, who on Wednesday expressed confidence that informal talks between leaders of both parties to revive MN would yield results.
MN was formed in September 2019 when PAS and Umno were in the opposition following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 2018 general election.
Relations between the two parties grew cold after PAS formed Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu. PAS had also wanted Bersatu to join MN, though this was strongly opposed by Umno.
In response to Hashim, Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said the party had “closed the book” on the possibility of MN’s revival.
Nonetheless, an Umno Youth leader from Johor who wanted to remain anonymous believed it was necessary for Barisan Nasional to revive its pact with PAS.
He told FMT that Umno was “in dire need of Malay support” and that the only way to regain their voters would be by reuniting with other Malay-Muslim parties.
“We have to start working towards that direction of wanting to unite with Malay parties as that is the only way for Umno to survive in the next election,” he said.
Another Umno Youth leader said reviving MN was important. However, he believed Umno needed a fresh face at the helm first. “We can unite with any party at any time but if you don’t change the party’s leadership it’s difficult for people to accept us.”
He said this was because Umno is being attacked by its own supporters due to unhappiness with party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.