KLANG: Selangor PAS is receiving positive signals from Umno members indicating their interest in joining the Islamist party.
Its secretary Roslan Shahir (pic) said some Umno members had already joined PAS.
"Recently, a branch leader who was an aide to an Umno elected representative joined us.
"Many ordinary members have also joined us in recent times and we are expecting more to leave Umno and come to us," said Roslan when contacted.
Roslan said PAS members have been going around telling people they needed to be with PAS for Malay votes to create an impact in Selangor.
According to him, their data indicated that only 68% of Malays had come out to vote in the recent general election.
"We tell the people at the grassroots level that we need to push for at least 80% of the Malay voters to come out during the upcoming state election to make headway in Selangor," he added.
Roslan said PAS data also showed that its state commissioner Datuk Dr Ahmad Hairi Yunus, who won the Kuala Langat parliamentary seat, garnered 72% of the Malay votes in the constituency.
The Kuala Langat seat had been PKR’s for three terms since 2008 until recently.
"If our candidates can secure the same in the Malay majority seats, our chances are very good," said Roslan, who added PAS was also telling Umno members in Selangor that PKR would not be giving them that many additional seats for the state polls.
"PKR is the incumbent in most of these seats and there isn’t a chance that they will give up the seats.
"Take for instance the Malay-majority Taman Medan and Seri Setia seats in the Petaling district, Umno has been eyeing them for a long time.
"PKR, which is the incumbent in both seats, will definitely not give them up," he added.
Roslan said Umno members are being told that PAS was open for negotiations and discussions in regards to seat allocation.
On another matter, Roslan said Selangor PAS had met up with former Tanjong Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar, who was recently sacked from Umno.
"He has agreed to be on our platform in the upcoming state election," said Roslan.
