Nasha plotting with Umno to destroy Pakatan, PAS leaders say
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider
Several PAS lawmakers today openly rebuked Nasharuddin Mat Isa for his latest attack against DAP, accusing the senior party leader of conspiring with Umno to cause a split in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) ahead of the next general election.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad raised suspicion over the timing of Nasharuddin’s latest anti-DAP statement, pointing out that “it was not yesterday” that both PAS and DAP had become partners in PR.
“Read between the lines,” Khalid said at a press conference in Parliament today, when commenting on Nasharuddin’s “Christian conspiracy” allegation against DAP yesterday.
He alleged that Nasharuddin, who currently sits as a member of PAS’ highest decision making body, the Syura Council, was likely aiming to be punished by the PAS leadership when he made the statement during a speech in Putra World Trade Center (PWTC).
“It looks like this is what he wants. It is so close to the elections. He has been sitting in the Syura Council all this time but has remained silent till now… it was not just yesterday that we were with DAP.
“To me, this is an action planned and conspired by him with those on the outside… namely Umno,” he said.
Nasharuddin yesterday earned the ire of his DAP allies again when he revived the “Christian conspiracy” allegations against the secular party, an issue that has been used repeatedly by Malay right wing groups and hardliners in Umno purportedly to warn away the Malays from supporting PR.
In a speech at PWTC, the former PAS deputy president reportedly alleged that DAP leaders had led prayers to turn Malaysia into a Christian state during a thanksgiving dinner held after the Sarawak state election in April last year.
Rubbishing his colleague’s words, Khalid asked Nasharuddin why he had not raised the matter before in the Syura Council of the PAS Central Working Committee (CWC).
“Surely if he has proof and his words have basis, the PAS leadership would take action,” the parliamentarian said.
Furthermore, Khalid said, there was little sense to Nasharuddin’s remarks as DAP’s founding struggle was not for Christianity or any other religion.
“They are a Democratic Action Party. Unlike PAS, where it is expressly stated in our Constitution that Islam forms our founding struggle, DAP is multireligious, multiracial and multicultural.
“Is Karpal Singh (DAP chairman) a Christian? Are Lim Guan Eng (secretary-general), Lim Kit Siang (adviser) and Teng Chang Khim Christians?” he asked.
PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub (picture), who was also present at the press conference with Khalid, later agreed with his colleague but said the matter should be left up to the Syura Council to deliberate on.
Earlier today, several DAP lawmakers came out to deny the allegation and demanded that Nasharuddin wishdraw his remarks and issue a public apology to their party.
