The Star Malaysia

Annuar: We will protect you

BN won’t sacrifice non-Muslim partners to please PAS, says MP

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WHILE the door for cooperatio­n with PAS is “always open”, Umno will not sacrifice its non-Muslim partners in Barisan Nasional to please the Islamist party, said Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

Denying talk that the two parties would be cooperatin­g in the general election, the Umno informatio­n chief said for now, PAS looked like it could be going it alone in the polls.

“Up till now, there is no such cooperatio­n with PAS and from what I understand, PAS is thinking of going it alone. So, it’s up to them.

“And if that is the case, then it’s our responsibi­lity to take back Kelantan,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Umno general assembly yesterday.

“If it’s a three-cornered fight, we hope the people will give us the chance to take back the state,” he added.

Annuar, who is Ketereh MP, said should Barisan re-take Kelantan, it aims to form a strong state government and that doors for cooperatio­n with PAS will always be open.

“We don’t want (to form) just a government because a weak government will not be able to serve the people well. So, it’s important to get a strong mandate by forming a strong government.

“So, (if there is) any friendly party that can work towards a strong government – or it could even be PAS if it can toe Barisan’s line, we welcome it,” he said.

However, Annuar said this should not be misinterpr­eted as Umno’s cooperatio­n with PAS.

“If PAS cannot respect our non-Muslim component parties within Barisan, we cannot compromise with them. We cannot sacrifice our Barisan partners just to please PAS,” he said.

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