This was after the state chapter of the Islamist party’s position had become stronger, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor. - NSTP/LUQMAN HAKIM ZUBIR
This was after the state chapter of the Islamist party’s position had become stronger, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor. - NSTP/LUQMAN HAKIM ZUBIR

PADANG TERAP: Kedah Pas is confident of winning 22 seats in the State Legislative Assembly in the 15th General Election (GE15).

This was after the state chapter of the Islamist party's position had become stronger, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

Despite being in a stronger position, he said the party was prepared to work with Umno on seat allocations in the rice-bowl state if the Barisan Nasional (BN) backbone party still wished to continue with their political alliance.

"I increase to 22 (winnable seats), at least 22 seats (up from the 15 seats won before). Pas is strong in Kedah. The Tiger (Umno) has fallen (once) after it was shot. But it still wants to get up. It is not as strong as before.

"If it (Umno) wants to make friends, it can lean on our strength. If it wants to fight, I feel that it is not as brave as it was before.

"It needs to be strong to stand on its feet... they are divided into three, four (factions)," Sanusi who is also Pas elections director said after launching the party's election machinery in Naka, here, last night.

Present was Pas Spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin.

Pas currently has 15 seats in the Kedah State Assembly and forms the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government in the state together with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) which has six seats and Umno with two seats.

The opposition bench led by Pakatan Harapan has 13 state assembly seats, five from PKR, Parti Amanah Negara (4), DAP (2) and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (2).

Sanusi, who is also the Kedah PN State Liaison Body chairman reiterated that Pas had never betrayed Umno, providing the necessary space to it despite party leaders looking at taking the BN and Umno solo in GE15.

"We did not do anything to create a reason for Pas and Umno in Kedah to fight. What we said in Johor, was in the context of Johor state (election).

"Pas is good in (maintaining) the ties between Barisan Nasional and Umno. Because we have discipline. For example, we are still asking Umno to name their candidate to replace Kubang Rotan State Assembly Coordinator, Datuk Hashim Jahaya who died (on May 7). They provided the name of Umno Kuala Kedah Deputy Division Chief, Dr Zaki Zamani Abd Rashid as a replacement, when we could have replaced it with a Pas or Bersatu individual. But that is our loyalty to a friend, this is what Islam teaches us.

"Once we are directed by the leadership to be on this track, this is where we wait. I have not betrayed anyone," he said.

On whether Kedah is prepared to dissolve the State Assembly if Parliament is dissolved in the near future, Sanusi said the decision on the matter will be determined by Pas' central leadership.