INTERVIEW | The upcoming Umno annual general assembly 2018 is set to be a gauge on how the party's cooperation with PAS will develop, as the relationship between the two remains vague following the latter's muktamar last month.

The muktamar itself was historical as it was attended by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as well as other Umno leaders.

While there was a motion from Kota Raja PAS Youth on cooperation with Umno as well as pressure on PAS' central leadership to determine their political allies, the relationship between the two parties remained undefined at the end of the annual meet.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang himself said PAS was still considering cooperating with Umno from time to time, but added that it is not a pressing issue at the moment.

Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob (photo) told Malaysiakini that if such a proposal is raised at Umno's AGM, it might be discussed at a special meeting.

"If there is a motion (of cooperation) in the debates on the president's speech, for example if there is support from the state-level representatives, then maybe from there we will make a decision and follow certain procedures.

"In terms of Umno, maybe it would be through a party management meeting, the supreme council and if the cooperation requires a general meeting, then we would need to do so through a party meeting.

"Right now, there is cooperation without involving all these party rules, and if there are party rules, we will follow them," Ismail said in an interview with Malaysiakini at his office in Petaling Jaya last week.

For now, he said, Umno wants to see the grassroots' level of acceptance towards the PAS-Umno team-up.

The reception from Umno party members, he added, will be made even clearer during the 2018 AGM.

"Umno hasn't had its assembly yet. PAS has had theirs and they have got their members' views, but we haven't.

"Maybe (at the AGM) on Sept 29 and 30, there will be members' representatives who will speak on this relationship with PAS, and if that is the mandate of the delegates, then after that we will carry it out systematically.

"Cooperation (with PAS) has happened, but not officially. Unofficially, it has happened in Parliament and in the by-elections," he said.

The AGM is scheduled to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur.

Ismail said this time, delegates will be given the chance to speak up on how to rebuild Umno.

The party's first AGM to be held after the May general election is also set to see the attendance of PAS leaders.

Ismail said the AGM this year will be more focused on the policy speech of its president Ahmad Zahid (photo), who will touch on many issues, particularly the direction of the party.

The Bera MP added that the assembly duration has been shortened this year as they acknowledge their limits and capabilities as an opposition party now.

Muktamar first-timer

Ismail also spoke about his appearance at the PAS muktamar this year, after 60 years of being the Islamist party's main foe.

"My entire life, I had never attended a PAS muktamar, so before we entered (the muktamar venue), we were confused and expected all sorts of things because as you know, we had been fighting each other for 60 years.

"Their delegates may be different from their leadership, as during the Sungai Kandis by-election, I was at a ceramah with the PAS leadership, but at the muktamar, with their grassroots, we could not predict their feelings towards us, whom they had seen as the enemy for so long," he said with a laugh.

However, he said he was relieved that their presence was well-received by PAS grassroots, several of whom shouted “takbir” when the Umno leaders' arrival at the muktamar was announced.

Ismail stressed that the relationship between Umno and PAS is already clear, even if it is not official yet, in uniting against Pakatan Harapan.

"We do not need to fight as we want to face the same enemy, otherwise our enemy will win easily if we are not united.

"We need to support each other because we are focusing on the same issues, which is the failures of the government today to fulfil its promises and that the rakyat are suffering.

"We both agree on these issues," he said.

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