adminKUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) respects PAS’s decision regarding the logo or symbol to be used in the Melaka State Election (PRN), said its chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
However, Ahmad Zahid said that BN has not yet finalised which party or coalition it will work with to face the state election.
“This week we will have discussions with several parties, with which coalition party, with which party we will contest.”
“We respect the decision they will make, what logo and symbol they will use. That is up to them,” he said when asked whether BN was prepared to allow PAS to contest using the BN logo in the Melaka state election for Malay unification if the crisis involving Perikatan Nasional (PN) dragged on.
He said this at a press conference while attending the 18th Annual General Meeting of the Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL), today.
Ahmad Zahid said he was in Melaka on Saturday and had discussions with Melaka Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, regarding preparations for the state election.
According to him, the results of negotiations with relevant parties will be brought to the UMNO top leadership and the BN Supreme Council before any form of understanding or cooperation is finalised.
“This is for us to finalize the form of understanding or cooperation that we need to do when Melaka holds elections,” he said.
Yesterday, PN Secretary-General who is also PAS Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan was reported to have said that the coalition did not rule out the possibility of using the PAS logo or another component party in the Melaka state election if PN’s suspension was still in effect.
According to him, PAS has no problem using its own logo, while using the symbol of the component parties is among the options being considered to enable cooperation between the parties to continue.
On Thursday, PAS Elections Director, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, said that the party had not yet discussed the symbol to be used in the Melaka state election and that the matter would be decided by the central leadership.
The RoS had previously issued an order suspending all PN activities effective Sept 23 under Subsection 13(2A) of the Societies Act 1966.
The order was issued following a notice under Subsection 13(2) on Sept 22 requiring PN to provide an explanation regarding the complaint received, but RoS stressed that the action was not a cancellation of the coalition’s registration.
Takiyuddin previously said PN did not agree with the basis of the RoS decision and would take steps through the legal process to defend the coalition.
The Election Commission (EC) is scheduled to meet on October 7 to determine important dates for the Melaka state election, including nomination day, early voting and polling day.
-Agency
