Bersatu will lose support if it remains with PAS, says assemblyman

He said despite all its preaching on religion, the party could not even honour a simple agreement.

(FMT) – Abdul Rashid Asari, who in March backed the Selangor menteri besar, says the Islamic party is ‘too extreme’.

A Bersatu assemblyman, who now backs Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari, believes support for his party will continue to dwindle the longer it remains a PAS ally.

Abdul Rashid Asari said any loss in support could be pinned on the Islamic party, which he labelled as being “too extreme”.

He said when PAS campaigned during the polls, the narrative pushed was that it was “haram” (forbidden) not to vote.

“Many don’t like (that sort of posturing). It’s very extreme. Malays don’t like it and even some PAS members hate it,” he told FMT.

Stressing that not all PAS members were extreme, the Selat Klang assemblyman said a handful of leaders who espouse such views negate the hard work done by the PAS machinery to woo voters.

Rashid, who shared the stage with Pakatan Harapan leaders in the campaign for the recent Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, also said that, on a personal level, he distrusts PAS.

He said despite all its preaching on religion, the party could not even honour a simple agreement.

Rashid claimed that when PN was discussing seat allocations for the 15th general election, there was a written agreement that Bersatu would contest in Kapar, only for PAS to stake its claim for the seat at the last minute.

Dr Halimah Ali of PAS eventually won the parliamentary seat in a seven-cornered fight.

“They say it’s a sin if you don’t keep your word, but I guess PAS leaders feel otherwise,” Rashid said.