Umno, PAS, Bersatu to meet tonight (July 21) to discuss snap polls seat allocations, says Ahmad Samsuri

PETALING JAYA: Umno, PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) are expected to meet in Kuala Lumpur to discuss seat allocations in a possible snap election.

PAS vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the three parties, who make up the bulk of the Perikatan Nasional government, will hold a meeting on Tuesday night (July 21) about the matter but kept mum about the location.

“I will be leading the meeting for PAS as its vice-president and the other parties will have their own representatives,” he said.

He said the parties will be discussing seat allocations as well as other preparations for an election.

However, when pressed for more information, Samsuri called for calm and said all would be revealed soon.

“Once the meeting is over, we will inform the media but before that let’s have some calm,” he said.

Samsuri, who is also Terengganu Mentri Besar, said this on Monday (July 20) at a groundbreaking ceremony in Besut for an affordable housing and mixed-development project there.

He also launched the Rumah Darul Iman (Rahman) there.

Earlier, Samsuri said PAS would defend six of the eight seats it won in Terengganu in the 14th general election.

He made the commitment in his speech at the launch of the PAS Dungun general meeting on July 18.

In GE14, PAS won the Setiu, Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu, Marang, Dungun and Kemaman parliamentary seats leaving then rival Umno with Besut and Hulu Terengganu.

Besut is represented by former Terengganu mentri mesar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh while Datuk Rosol Wahid won in Hulu Terengganu.

However, Rosol later joined Bersatu.

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu political scientist Dr Nazli Aziz said it would be tricky for Perikatan to decide on seat allocation and the next election would be a test of the strength for the new front.

“I think reaching a consensus will not come so easily and the next election will definitely be a test for these ‘friendly’ parties in Terengganu,” he said. The Star