Muafakat to be formalised, sans Bersatu

Muafakat Nasional will be made an official organisation soon, according to a joint statement by founding members Umno and PAS today.

However, the statement does not mention Bersatu, which Umno and PAS had wanted to accept to the Muafakat fold in August.

"The Muafakat leadership have arrived at a consensus to give their commitment to strengthen unity and cooperation between parties in preparation for the next general election.

"The leadership of the two parties agreed to register Muafakat officially with the Registrar of Societies," read the statement signed by Umno's Annuar Musa and PAS' Takiyuddin Hassan, who addressed themselves as Muafakat's secretary-general I and II respectively.

The state did not state when this decision was made but acknowledged that a Muafakat steering committee meeting scheduled for last night was cancelled.

On Aug 26, Annuar revealed that the committee had sent an official invitation letter to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin on Aug 13.

Bersatu's supreme council agreed to join on Aug 15 and replied to Muafakat's invitation on Aug 18.

The announcement made by Annuar and Takiyuddin today came at a time when tensions between Umno and Bersatu are on the rise.

Umno's political bureau had on Oct 16 decided that its relationship with Perikatan Nasional, which Bersatu leads, should be reviewed.

However, Umno's executive body - the supreme council - has yet to deliberate on the matter because of current stay-at-home restrictions in place in the Klang Valley territories.

There is also speculation that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent in order to quell disquiet within Umno.