No ‘moon' in Sabah? PAS wants bigger tent against BN-Pakatan for state election, says Tuan Ibrahim
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man confirmed to Malaysiakini today that the party is looking to contest at least six seats and may campaign under a different logo.
'PAS has identified at least six seats to contest in the Sabah election, and maybe we will use the logo of any party in our pact,' he reportedly said.
While PAS is part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition alongside Bersatu and Gerakan, Tuan Ibrahim hinted at ambitions beyond PN, suggesting an alliance with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and even Warisan, in a bid to avoid fragmented contests against Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH).
'Umno (BN) has decided to work with Harapan, and in Sabah, we have Warisan, GRS, and PN.
'So I feel if we can create a grand coalition that would be better, and I see the need for this framework, for PN, GRS, and Warisan to create a pact to face Umno-Harapan,' he was quoted as saying.
He noted PAS' 'good relationship' with GRS and said the party would also engage Bersatu to assess the feasibility of a united front.
PAS, which has yet to win any seat in East Malaysia, faces cultural and political headwinds in Sabah, where religious pluralism is deeply valued. By using a more locally accepted party's logo, PAS hopes to appeal to a broader segment of voters.
Tuan Ibrahim's proposal could hit a roadblock, however, due to tensions between Bersatu and GRS. Several GRS representatives defected from Bersatu in 2022 and later aligned with the ruling coalition. The fallout worsened after corruption allegations surfaced involving GRS assemblymen, prompting strong criticism from Bersatu leaders.
The Sabah election is expected to be called later this year.
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