KANGAR: Ketereh Umno chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa is confident that there is still room for cooperation between Umno and PAS through Muafakat Nasional to face the 15th general election (GE15).

       The Ketereh MP said the current deadlock between the two parties was only temporary and efforts to strengthen ties should be continued.

       “As a senior politician who has faced PAS in general elections many times, I find Muafakat a gift from God when Umno and PAS can work together.

       “We cannot give up trying to maintain good relations between the two parties even though the ties have been loosened," he told reporters after paying a courtesy call on PAS spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin at the Perlis PAS Complex on Saturday (April 23).

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       He said Muafakat was formed to achieve victory in the general election and it would be a pity if it was only halfway done.

       "We created Muafakat with the aim of dominating the next general election, but when we have a good weapon in our hands to enter the battlefield, it’s suddenly being thrown away just like that," he said.

       Annuar, who is also Communications and Multimedia Minister, said there was a phrase in the Muafakat memorandum of understanding (MoU) that any dispute or problem between Umno and PAS should be resolved like the Madinah charter.

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       "The spirit (of the Madinah charter) is important not only in politics but also in our lives to resolve problems and disputes by returning to the Quran and hadith," he said.

       Meanwhile, Hashim said he seemed to get new spirit and energy in an effort to save the unity of the ummah after meeting Annuar to discuss the matter.

       “Together with our friends, I’m determined that no matter what challenges lie ahead of us, we will continue the struggle towards this unity (Muafakat)," he said. - Bernama