Nik Aziz ready to forgive Umno if it apologises

(The Star) – PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said he was willing to forgive Umno if it apologised for “stabbing PAS in the back” 40 years ago.

He added that he was willing to bury the hatchet if Umno apologised for its “crime” against PAS.

“Do you think it is easy to forgive? If it was easy to forgive and forget immediately after a wrong is done there would be no point in learning history,” he told reporters before receiving PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at his official residence JKR 10 here Sunday.

Nik Abdul Aziz said this when asked to comment on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement on Friday in which he asked PAS to let bygones be bygones and for the two parties to start on a new slate by having unity talks for the betterment of Malays and Islam.

Recently, the Kelantan Mentri Besar lashed out at PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, telling him to join Umno if he wanted to pursue the unity talks with Umno.

Nik Abdul Aziz also challenged Nasharuddin to resign as the Bachok MP and contest on another ticket.

“Do not misunderstand me by thinking that I reject unity and am just being stubborn. If the issue was brought forward through the proper channels like drafted at the national level and then taken to the state level, followed by taking it to the Pakatan Rakyat for approval or discussion, I would not have opposed.

“But this was not done. That is why I am against it. Anyway, it would not be in the interest of party members and the party as a whole,” he said.

Nik Abdul Aziz reiterated that even if he agreed to the unity talks it should be based on Islamic unity and not the nationalist agenda championed by Umno.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported from Kuala Krai that Kelantan Umno was ready to talk to Kelantan PAS on the idea of a unity government.

“We are awaiting the green light from the Umno president before making any move,” Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Mustapa Mohamed told reporters after opening a poverty eradication programme here Sunday.

Mustapa was asked to comment on the call by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday that the talks be speeded up.

Mustapa said Kelantan Umno was adopting an open attitude on the matter.

“We have no problem carrying out the discussion in the interest of Muslims in the country,” Bernama quoted him as saying.