Umno and PAS are like siblings, says Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has likened Umno and PAS as “siblings” after the Islamist party chose not to field a candidate for the Sungai Kandis by-election.

“Like siblings,” the Prime Minister said in describing PAS and Umno. He was met at the Pandan constituency open house here yesterday organised by his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

On Thursday, PAS said it is stepping aside from sending a candidate for the by-election as a mark of support for Barisan Nasional.

Barisan is fielding its supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam against a relatively unknown PKR candidate, Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, a 48-year-old training consultant and tahfiz head.

It was reported that Umno leaders, including president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa, implied that the party might cooperate with PAS in the Sungai Kandis by-election.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said Umno was ready to talk with PAS on the possibility of a straight fight against Pakatan Harapan for the seat.

PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan, too, was reported to have said the party was prepared to cooperate with Umno on fielding a single candidate from either party for the by-election.

Mat Shuhaimi, the former political secretary to former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, won the Sungai Kandis seat in GE14. The seat fell vacant after his death on July 2 from lymphoma.