‘PAS must cut ties with PKR now’
(The Star) – The PAS Ulama has demanded that the party sever its ties with PKR immediately.
The motion, which was passed at the Dewan Ulama assembly yesterday, means the Selangor government is in danger of collapse.
If PAS pulls out of the Selangor government, it would leave the state government with a simple majority of 29 seats out of 56 seats in the state assembly.
Delegate Muhammad Husaini Hussien said PKR had abused the tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) too many times in the last few years.
He added that PKR and DAP had “ganged up” to oppose the Private Member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act in Dewan Rakyat earlier this month.
“There is no need to study the tahaluf siyasi as it was done over four years ago. Now it is just a question of breaking ties with and divorcing PKR,” he said when tabling the motion on behalf of Negri Sembilan and Perak yesterday.
He said PAS had been patient and that it was PKR which had attacked it almost daily.
He also cited how PKR took in Tumpat MP Kamarudin Jaffar in 2015 when he quit PAS.
Muhammad’s motion was accepted unanimously, with delegates responding with “takbir”.
Earlier, PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party would no longer be part of a coalition state government with its opposition counterparts after the next general election.
He said the party refused to work with DAP and Amanah and would look to capture several states on its own, including Selangor.
“In Selangor, we will try our best to form the state government,” he told reporters after opening the PAS Youth muktamar yesterday.
“Right now, we actually lead the state because we have 15 seats. PKR only has 13 seats. But we gave way to PKR to lead.”
Tuan Ibrahim said PAS would not work with DAP and Amanah, even in a situation where the Islamist party emerged as kingmaker to form the next state government.
“If DAP doesn’t back off, PAS will fight it. However, DAP and PAS do not typically clash in the same seats,” he added.
As things stood now, he said PAS still had political cooperation with PKR.
However, that could change if the Islamist party’s Syura Council decides to cut ties with PKR after this weekend’s muktamar.
“We will decide the next move should relations with PKR be ended,” Tuan Ibrahim said.
He said PAS had identified five states – Kelantan, Selangor, Kedah, Terengganu and Pahang – which it would look to capture on its own.
The party was also seeking to avoid three-cornered fights, although it is no longer part of the Pakatan Harapan pact.
“Just don’t disturb PAS seats,” he warned.
PAS Ulama information chief Datuk Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali had previously called on Pakatan parties to avoid fielding candidates in some 80 seats that the Islamist party wished to contest.
Asked if PAS would also reject cooperation with DAP and Amanah if it could form the Federal Government, Tuan Ibrahim replied: “We will decide when the time comes.”