UMNO to study PAS merger offer

UMNO to study PAS merger offer

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's ruling party said yesterday it wanted to determine the motive behind fundamentalist Parti Islam's (PAS) offer to form a coalition government in northeastern Kelantan state.

Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the deputy president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), said the merger would be difficult if PAS imposed conditions.

"As stated by the party president (Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad), the spirit for cooperation is there and we adopt an open stand," Anwar told reporters after opening a national gas conference.

PAS has at the weekend offered to form a coalition government in Kelantan state with UMNO as the Islamic party comes under pressure to quit.

Acknowledging the state is in political crisis, Kelantan chief minister Nik Aziz Nik Mat said his party was willing if UMNO was sincere. But the move would be made on PAS' terms, he insisted.