PAS is still an opposition party despite fighting its former allies in the next polls, as it will continue to battle Umno, its vice-president Idris Ahmad said today.

Idris said Umno remained the party’s biggest opponent and those who accused PAS of colluding with the ruling party were out of ideas.

“What they say is not right. Especially what is being said by our friends who have run out of ideas. In their ceramah, they say PAS wants to join Umno.

“This coming election will be a critical one for PAS, not because we are afraid of contesting against Umno or Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“It is because this is the first time we will see the opposition fighting the opposition,” he said after launching the party’s Permatang Pauh election machinery in Kubang Semang today.

PAS has been accused of aligning to Umno, including accepting “dedak” (bribes) from the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin party, after leaving Pakatan Rakyat.

Idris, who is Bukit Gantang MP, said no matter where PAS is contesting – be it Permatang Pauh, Kepala Batas, Balik Pulau or other seats – their opponent was still Umno.

“So how can you say we are on BN’s side? Go find something else to say in your attempt to kill our (political) careers,” he said.

He also reminded detractors that PAS fought BN in every general election, except in 1974 when the Islamist party was in the ruling coalition.

He took a dig at PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had only recently joined the opposition and said the former prime minister should learn how to be an opposition politician.

“He is fighting BN for the first time. He is just starting. Now he is just like us, feeling what it is like when told that he cannot give speeches.”

Idris also said PAS, which has its own coalition Gagasan Sejahtera, did not see PH as a threat as the party had been fighting BN alone for many years.

The PAS leader alluded that PH might enjoy non-Muslim support, namely from the Chinese community, but it was a different story with the Malays.

“The Malays are not like the Chinese. To contest in Malay seats, you need to have a strong machinery,” he said.

He also cited a recent remark by Suaram adviser Kua Kia Soong, who said Malays who did not support Umno would go to PAS and not Dr Mahathir.

“Dr Mahathir has his ‘legacies’ – things he had done during his time in office – that he can’t answer.

“What happened to the judiciary in his time? He is not the person to be talking about reforms,” he said, naming a few scandals that happened during Dr Mahathir’s tenure such as the Perwaja Steel scandal and MAS bailout.

Idris also dismissed the possibility of PAS returning to its former colleagues in PH. – July 16, 2017.