ALOR STAR: Kedah Umno has shot down the idea of reviving Muafakat Nasional's (MN) alliance with Umno and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).
Kedah Umno Information chief Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin described the suggestion made by Pas vice-president and Terengganu menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as illogical and akin to a joke.
"Samsuri said he agreed to revive the MN cooperation between Pas and Umno. He also invited Amanah to work together, purportedly for the political and economic interests of the Malays.
"I did not expect him to be a funny man, because logically, this cooperation will never happen.
"Firstly, are Pas grassroots and leadership willing to have a discussion with Amanah? Secondly, is Bersatu (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) willing to work with Umno?" he said.
Shaiful, who is Merbok Umno division chief, asked whether there was a rift between Pas and Bersatu in Perikatan Nasional (PN).
"Is this a hint from Samsuri that Bersatu is no longer a worthy partner? Does he agree that it is time for Bersatu to leave PN?
"And what is the actual reason for him to issue such a bold statement? Is it because PN is getting weaker? Perhaps rumours that (Bersatu president) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and (Pas president) Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang are no longer on the same page are true?"
Shaiful said Umno would never work with Pas again, regardless of the reason behind Samsuri's peace offering.
"Pas is the hardcore 'party rider'. Tell me, which party it has never become a parasite? (Almost) all parties have (been used by Pas).
"The unity government has stabilised and is getting even stronger. The trust among the Umno grassroots and the people in the party is growing stronger, too. This is not the time to make a U-turn!," Shaiful said.
Yesterday, Amanah vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar expressed disdain over the MN idea, claiming that it was nothing but Pas' political agenda to topple the unity government.
Samsuri was reported as saying that he was not opposed to the idea of reviving MN's alliance with Umno.
He had said Umno, together with Amanah and other Malay-Muslim parties, should unite for the people.
Pas spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin had, on Feb 15, said the party would not close the door to cooperation with Umno to revive MN.
On Feb 25, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, however, said Pas was insincere about reviving the pact, as it was not Umno who left the pact, but Pas.