SELANGOR Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali will abide by Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to reject electoral cooperation with PAS in the coming elections, Selangorkini reports.

However, he said he still believed there was “room for consensus” and would continue trying to pursue this within the coalition.

“We accept this decision and will carry out the work needed to build the election machinery for the 14th general election, in accordance with the decision of the PH presidential council,” he said.

He said he would continue his efforts to achieve “consensus” on being open towards other parties until the time the 14th general election is called.

“However, I can still talk to whomever (to achieve consensus) towards that end,” the state news portal quoted him as saying.

Azmin, who is PH vice-president and PKR deputy president, had been at the centre of a divisive debate on PKR’s move to seek collaboration with PAS to avoid three cornered fights in GE14, especially in Selangor.

PAS and PKR had formally cut ties earlier this year, and before that, PAS had broken up the former opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat. Several PAS leaders had also left the party as it started to court its main rival, Umno, to collaborate on capturing the Malay-Muslim vote.

Azmin and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had publicly stated that the door must be kept open to negotiating with PAS. Their stance had been opposed by other PKR leaders and some grassroots divisions, who wanted to hold a special congress on the matter.

The PH presidential council finally decided on Monday night to reject any collaboration with PAS.

Azmin, who was supposed to attend, was absent.

Asked why he did not attend the meeting, he said, “I had other duties”. – August 31, 2017.