Malaysia’s Bersatu, PAS open to UMNO’s 'grand collaboration' pitch but question its role in unity government

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Malay-Islamic opposition parties say they are open to a proposal by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) for a “grand collaboration”, but have raised questions about the latter’s position in the unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. 

UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the proposal during his closing speech on Saturday (Jan 17) at the party’s annual general assembly.

Zahid said the grand collaboration aims to “unite the struggles” of these Malay-Islamic parties and is not intended to facilitate “backdoor” manoeuvres that could destabilise the current government.

The coalition is expected to involve at least 10 top leaders of these parties including their presidents, deputy presidents and other senior leaders, according to local news outlet Astro Awani. 

Opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) said it would only consider the proposal once full details are provided. Its president, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, said no party leader has been mandated to engage in discussions on the matter so far. 

Meanwhile, Islamist party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) said it is examining the “form of cooperation” proposed, but questioned the purpose of the move if UMNO continues to support the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led government. 

“What is its meaning and purpose? If (UMNO) support for the PH government continues, this situation will only confuse the people,” PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told Astro Awani on Sunday. 

Bersatu and PAS are key components of the Perikatan Nasional opposition coalition. Muhyiddin resigned as the chairman of the bloc on Jan 1.

Muhyiddin also questioned Zahid’s claim that discussions had already taken place with leaders of the Malay-Islamic parties. 

Local media reported previously that Zahid had confirmed meeting several leaders from PAS and Bersatu informally. 

“This matter has never been discussed in any Bersatu Supreme Council meeting,” Muhyiddin said in a statement, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today. 

Muhyiddin added that inter-party discussions involving any form of cooperation between Bersatu and UMNO must go through official party channels and involve the top leadership of both parties. 

“Such discussions should be conducted transparently, taking into account all factors, including the views of our coalition partners in Perikatan Nasional and UMNO’s position in the unity government,” he said. 

Bersatu’s information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, however, said the proposed grand coalition appeared to be a political manoeuvre aimed at preserving the unity government, reported Free Malaysia Today.

He said what Malays and the wider public in Malaysia needed was not a concept designed to “prop up a failed government”, but a cooperation based on a “big tent” approach that could offer real solutions and serve as an alternative to its shortcomings.

“Perhaps what the people need right now is not a Malay-Muslim coalition to support the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional unity government,” he was quoted as saying on Sunday. 

“Instead, they need a truly genuine movement that fights for the interests of Islam, the Malays and bumiputeras, and is capable of becoming an alternative to the current government.” 

Zahid’s proposal - which came at the end of the party’s four-day assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur - was overwhelmingly accepted by UMNO delegates, who stood up in support of it. 

“With this grand collaboration, we will set aside our differing (political) stripes for the sake of the Malays and Islam under one roof together,” Zahid said on Saturday. 

“Prime Minister (Anwar), please don’t be worried. I don’t have any agenda to threaten the unity government, but this is just to translate UMNO’s sincerity to include all Malay and Islamic parties and put them under one roof for the sake of the Malay agenda.”

Zahid’s proposal comes amid renewed calls to revive the Muafakat Nasional (MN) collaboration - an electoral pact between UMNO and PAS in 2019 that fell apart when PAS and Bersatu formed Perikatan Nasional.

Zahid, however, said that UMNO rejected this call as MN had been registered as a non-governmental organisation.   

When asked if his latest idea for the “grand collaboration” was similar to MN, Zahid said it went “beyond it”. 

"This is not about being racial or marginalising other communities," he claimed, adding that there had been “informal discussions” with various other parties prior to the Saturday announcement. 

UMNO information chief Azalina Othman Said also said the proposal is not a political coalition, reported the New Straits Times.