AHMAD SHABERY: Not impossible for Umno and Pas to reuniite

AHMAD SHABERY: Not impossible for Umno and Pas to reuniite
BERNAMA

KUALA TERENGGANU, SUN:

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said a merger between Umno and PAS was not something impossible because both parties had been together under a pact before.

He said what was more crucial was for both parties to discuss, with open hearts and sincerity, to ensure the merger would bring good for them.

“God willing, nothing is impossible. If we are to look at history , there were more crucial times in 1969 but in the end we were able to come up with a formula, the formation of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, together with PAS,” he told reporters at a meeting of Terengganu Umno leaders here last night.

He was asked to comment on a suggestion by PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yesterday that Umno and PAS be dissolved and a new party formed to unite the Malays.

Nik Abdul Aziz, who is Kelantan Menteri Besar, also said that the new party must be based on Islam.

Ahmad Shabery said there was no reason for Umno and PAS not being able to come up with a formula to unite for the sake of the country and its future and that this merger should not be viewed only for the Malays and Islam, but also to unite the people of all races in the country.

He said Umno and PAS should look at the merger in a wider context compared during previous times, especially in facing the present situation, which was becoming more challenging.

“If there is genuine intention to see unity among the Malays and Islam, I think it is best that we go back to the beginning, that is the pact that was once formed, which is Umno.

“If we are sincere on the question of unity, the question on what form it is going to be is not important. But the crucial thing is our willingness to sit down and discuss the matter.

“We are not giving any conditions because for PAS, too, if they can sit with other parties which don’t even talk about Islam, and also have opposed (the formation of) an Islamic country, why should it (PAS) wants to impose all sorts of conditions on Umno,” he added.

In ALOR STAR, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Wira Mohd Johari Baharom, when speaking to reporters at a community function in the Kedah state capital, said there was no neccesity to dissolve the two parties in order to achieve the aim of Malay and Muslim unity as talks and discussions between them would suffice for it.

kzso - coming from someone who should be resigning...