DAP wants Pakatan Rakyat to review PAS membership
Posted by pastoday on July 27, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, SUN:
Cracks are beginning to emerge in the three-party opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, with DAP openly declaring it now wants the alliance to review PAS’ membership in the grouping.
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said PAS had thrown grave doubts over its credibility, adding that Pakatan Rakyat should seriously consider, in view of events of late, whether PAS should be allowed continued membership in the alliance.
“The assurance by PAS president (Datuk Seri) Abdul Hadi Awang to Pakatan Rakyat partners (Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP), that PAS will not abandon the alliance to join the BN, is not bona fide and is not supported by past events.
“After the March 8 general elections, PAS had talks with Umno to form a coalition government in Selangor.
“This was an act of bad faith as both DAP and PKR were not informed of such a move by PAS,” he said in a statement today.
The Bukit Gelugor member of parliament was reacting to recent reports wich confirmed that PAS and Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), were in talks to sustain Malay unity in the country.
Karpal also slammed the move by PAS to hold another round of talks with Umno “in the name of Malay unity”, calling this a “racial move” by PAS, which he claimed was incongruous with the policies of the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat.
Pakatan Rakyat, made up of DAP, PKR and PAS, rule five states, namely Kelantan, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Perak and Selangor.
Any break-up in the coalition will result in change in the state governments of these states, except for Kelantan where PAS secures majority of the state seats.
Yesterday, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat suggested that UMNO and PAS be dissolved and a new party formed to unite all Malays.
“Such a revelation is startling and has serious ramifications, implications and consequences. Nik Aziz’s statement reduces to nought Hadi Awang’s statement in Ipoh, also yesterday, that PAS would not merge with Umno or join Barisan Nasional.
“Obviously, statements made by PAS leaders of late, give the perception that they are out to scuttle the Pakatan Rakyat,” said Karpal.
