Azmin: PKR to go on working with PAS despite DAP’s feelings
(The Star) – PKR will not ditch PAS and will continue to work with the Islamist party regardless of what DAP feels about it.
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali said his party’s leadership stand on the matter was clear.
“I don’t think I have to elaborate any further on this,” Azmin told reporters at a housing event in Kuala Selangor yesterday.
Azmin, who is also Selangor Mentri Besar, said the decision to continue working with PAS was not his nor party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s, but a collective one made by the party.
The matter, he said, had been extensively discussed by the party and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s advice had been sought.
He said as the trustee of the people’s mandate, PKR had a responsibility to work towards the betterment of the nation with parties that shared similar aspirations.
“We need to have the humility to accept views from various parties that have the same aim,” he said.
Asked to comment on Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s recent statement that it would be impossible for the party to work with PAS, Azmin said it was Lim’s opinion.
PAS and DAP had a massive quarrel and parted ways after the Islamist party’s president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang tried to table a private members bill in Parliament to implement hudud in Kelantan.
In another development, Dr Wan Azizah met the pro-tem leader of Parti Amanah Rakyat Mohamad Sabu to discuss the new party’s entry into the opposition pact.
“We had a fruitful meeting to discuss the common direction and guiding principles of both parties. I am pleased to welcome Amanah to the opposition,” Dr Wan Azizah said in a statement.
“I will meet with the leadership of PAS and DAP in the next week to discuss the matter,” she added.
In an unrelated development, several opposition lawmakers have acknowledged that a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak without the support of Barisan Nasional MPs would be futile .
PAS Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar said, even if the motion was filed, Barisan MPs would not vote against Najib. DAP’s Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw said Parliament did not have Standing Orders for such a vote of no-confidence.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia has said there is no Standing Order spelling out how to table a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister.
