AFTER Prime Minister Najib Razak took pot shots at Pakatan Harapan and its leaders in his New Year message and praised PAS, DAP said the Islamist party is no longer a serious opposition party.

“PAS political struggle is lost. ‘Sesat sampai dipuji oleh Umno’ (so lost it is praised by Umno),” DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said.

“If Umno praises you as a good opposition party, you ‘lingkup la’ (are finished). You are a good opposition because you listen to them, and don’t disturb or threaten their position.

“That doesn’t make you a true opposition party. You are like a ‘olok-olok’ (unserious) opposition party,” he said.

Lim said this in a press conference in Penang today when asked to comment on Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar’s resignation from PAS yesterday.

Mahfuz, a PAS veteran of 34 years, was one of the most recognisable MPs from the Islamist party. 

The former party vice-president and Kedah commissioner had been against PAS’ move to leave the opposition coalition. He has yet to announce which PH party he will join.

Lim, who is Bagan MP and Penang chief minister, said Mahfuz left PAS to join the opposition openly to fight against scandals and to change the Barisan Nasional central government.

“It is clear Mahfuz wants to make sure there is a strong opposition to fight BN .... to replace a government that is ‘mungkar’ (go against God’s teachings) to one that is ‘makruf’ (good).

“PAS is not a serious opposition party anymore,” he said.

In his New Year message, Najib said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was “more decent” than other opposition leaders.

He said when it came to common interests like supporting the Rohingya and Palestinian causes, PAS and Umno could work together.

He called it “mature politics” that helped to build the country and unite the people, instead of causing division.

PAS and Umno were traditionally political rivals, both being Malay Muslim-based parties. 

PAS was formerly a member of the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat until it severed ties with DAP and PKR in 2015 and last year respectively. – January 1, 2018.