World · Malaysia Bureau
Umno Kedah signals openness to talks with PAS amid coalition tensions
Umno's information chief in Kedah has announced the party is willing to engage in dialogue with PAS, distancing the state branch from what he characterised as peripheral parties within the Perikatan Nasional coalition.
LSN Malaysia ·
Shaiful Hazizy Zainal Abidin, the information chief for Umno Kedah, declared on Monday that the party would begin direct engagement with PAS, signalling a shift in the coalition's dynamics at the state level.
The announcement comes amid ongoing discussions about the composition and direction of Perikatan Nasional, the ruling federal coalition. Shaiful Hazizy's remarks suggest Umno Kedah intends to prioritise its relationship with PAS while distancing itself from what he referred to obliquely as minor parties within the broader alliance.
The development reflects broader tensions within Perikatan Nasional as component parties navigate their respective interests and influence within the coalition framework. Umno, as the largest party in the federal government, has been consolidating its position through bilateral engagements with coalition partners.
The move to initiate talks with PAS could potentially reshape political alignments in Kedah, where the two parties have previously navigated complex electoral and governance arrangements. Such dialogue may also influence broader coalition negotiations at the national level as Perikatan Nasional continues to manage internal dynamics ahead of upcoming political developments.