JOHOR BAHRU, June 10 — Johor PAS will maintain friendly ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) at the state level despite having to officially sever ties, said Johor PAS Commissioner Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed.

He said the recent decision to split with Bersatu has not affected the relationship between leaders and members of the two parties in Johor.

“The Johor Bersatu leadership had in fact contacted me regarding the decision (on Monday night).

“I have personally spoken to Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal, who is the Johor Bersatu chairman and also Johor Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman, regarding the decision to part ways,” he told reporters after chairing a state-level meeting at the Johor PAS office in Bandar Baru Uda here last night.

“Despite that, I assured him Johor PAS will continue our friendship with the state Bersatu,” he added

Mahfodz, who is Johor PN deputy chairman, was responding to the recent announcement that PAS had cut ties with Bersatu, effectively ending its six-year political cooperation.

For Johor, Mahfodz said he abides by the party’s decision, but had instructed PAS at the state level to continue its friendship with Bersatu without prejudice.

He said that the friendship forged by both parties over the years will continue despite having to end their political cooperation.

“However, the changes in the political landscape will not disrupt Johor PAS’s election machinery as we prepare for the upcoming Johor polls,” he said.

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang announced on Monday night that the party had decided to sever ties with Bersatu.

He said PAS would form a new political pact focused on uniting the Muslim community for the upcoming state elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, as well as the next general election.

However, PAS remains in PN despite cutting off its political cooperation with Bersatu, a fellow component party.

In 2020, both Bersatu and PAS founded PN for mutual political gain.

The coalition also includes Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).

JOHOR BAHRU, June 10 — Johor PAS will contest the upcoming state election under an electoral pact with an alliance of Malay-Muslim political parties, after recently ending its political cooperation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

Johor PAS Commissioner Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed said the pact was aimed at maximising the parties’ combined strengths.

He said the parties, which share similar political goals, are Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang), Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), Parti Berjasa Malaysia (Berjasa) and Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman).

“This is a temporary political alliance as an official coalition would take up time and will not be registered in time for the Johor polls.

“Under this electoral pact, it is agreed that PAS and the other participating parties will use our respective logos to contest,” he told reporters after chairing a state-level meeting at the Johor PAS office in Bandar Baru Uda here last night.

Mahfodz said discussions on seat distribution for the Johor polls were still ongoing and are expected to be finalised by the party’s central leadership on June 12.

He said prominent PAS central committee member and strategist Tan Sri Annuar Musa has been appointed as the party’s Johor election director.

“Johor PAS has also not decided on the number of seats to contest for the upcoming Johor election. We need to decide on our new objectives after severing ties with Bersatu late Monday,” said the PAS Syura Council member.

Mahfodz explained that PAS initially had 15 seats under a previous arrangement with Bersatu for the upcoming Johor election.

“This figure is the same that PAS had in the previous Johor state election,” he said, adding that PAS will need to renegotiate the number of seats after severing its ties with Bersatu.

Mahfodz, who is also the Johor Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chairman, said there is a likelihood that PAS would clash with Bersatu in the upcoming state polls.

He said it is inevitable that PAS would compete with Bersatu in certain seats.

On PAS having a strategic tie-up with Barisan Nasional (BN), Mahfodz said party leaders at the state level have reached out to explore possible cooperation.

“Johor PAS has held informal discussions with the state BN, but there is no firm agreement yet,” he said.