UMNO-PAS clash in Perlis not a rejection of 'uniting the ummah'

UMNO's Perlis chapter intends to contest all 15 state assembly seats and three parliamentary seats in the upcoming 16th General Election, a decision that challenges the narrative of "uniting the ummah" with PAS. The state chairman of UMNO Perlis, Datuk Rozabil Abd. Rahman, stated that this solo approach aligns with the political realities in the state.

The grassroots sentiment within UMNO Perlis favors independent action, as cooperating with Perikatan Nasional (PN) could lead to complications during seat distribution. UMNO Perlis is concerned about the limited number of seats they might be allocated if they were to collaborate, especially after losing all their seats in the previous election. If a coalition with PAS were to form, only five seats represented by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and PKR would remain, with Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan), another PN component, also eyeing Bersatu's seats.

UMNO grassroots members are reportedly enthusiastic about reclaiming Perlis in the upcoming election and are unwilling to settle for contesting only a few seats. In the context of Perlis politics, most seats are already dominated by Malay-Muslim parties. The need for "uniting the ummah" is therefore not seen as critically urgent, as any victor, whether UMNO or PAS, would still be a Malay-Muslim party.

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When we talk about unity, of course we all love unity, but contesting does not mean division; it depends on the context and the narrative of the campaign.

The article suggests that both Barisan Nasional (BN) and PN should contest independently, offering voters a wider choice. It proposes that after the election, BN and PN could form a coalition if neither party secures a simple majority. While cooperation in the name of "uniting the ummah" is easily discussed, the article questions whether PAS, which holds a significant number of state seats, is willing to sacrifice them.

Datuk Dr. Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, head of UMNO's Kangar division, commented that unity is desirable but contesting elections does not necessarily mean division. He believes that the context and narrative of the campaign are crucial; campaigns that involve mutual vilification lead to division, whereas campaigns focused on development ideas for Perlis are acceptable. He emphasized that "uniting the ummah" extends beyond election pacts to broader cooperation for the benefit of Malays and Islam.

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If the campaign involves mutual vilification, that is division. If the campaign involves presenting ideas and plans for the future development of Perlis, then for me, that is not a problem.