PETALING JAYA: PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man tonight admitted that it would be difficult to identify a prime ministerial candidate who could unite the Malays as political parties are prioritising their own interests.
He said Malay-based parties are currently divided.
Only when these parties set aside their agendas and make Malay unity their core struggle can a prime minister candidate who can unite the community be named, Tuan Ibrahim said.
“But it is easier said than done. And until then, there’s no point talking about it,” he told FMT.
Tuan Ibrahim was commenting on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s remarks on Friday that being a political party’s president or prime ministerial candidate mattered less than one’s ability to unite all Malays.
In taking a swipe at those who believed that being a party president was a prerequisite to becoming prime minister, Mahathir said that as no single party is likely to win the next general election, being a party head was insignificant without support from others.
“If all Malays unite, the prime minister will be the person they decide that will represent them. There’s no use then in being the head of a party or a party’s prime ministerial candidate,” he said.
Commenting further, Tuan Ibrahim said PAS is of the view that Muslim unity must be realised.
However, the party’s main priority now is to win the most number of seats at the next general election via Malay unity.
“But we (Perikatan Nasional) will be weak if the components are divided,” he said, alluding to the spat between PAS and Bersatu which was sparked by the political crisis in Perlis.
