Kuala Lampur, Aug. 11 -- Malaysian politics has become increasingly comfortable with words such as "understanding", "cooperation", "compact" and "electoral pact".

Yet these terms are not interchangeable.

An understanding can be informal.

An electoral pact can be temporary and transactional.

A political compact implies something considerably deeper: common principles, mutual obligations and some conception of how power will be exercised after the votes have been counted.

This distinction becomes critical whenever PAS enters the equation; especially a Hadi-led PAS.

At any rate, any political entity contemplating cooperation with PAS must understand that the consequences do not end on polling day.

Electoral cooperation creates politic...