PAS today apologised to Gerakan President Dominic Lau over reportedly asking him to leave a Perikatan Nasional (PN) ceramah in Tasek Gelugor, Penang. 

In a statement issued today, the Islamist party’s secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said Lau should have been accepted and treated fairly as a guest according to Islamic moral values and principles.  

“PAS expresses its discomfort and apologises to Lau, who was seen as not being welcomed at the PN Best Ceramah in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, which was also attended by the PAS president,” the Kota Baru MP said.  

“Besides that, the party he (Lau) leads is a component party in the PN coalition, and he is a candidate in the upcoming state elections, and should have been accorded decency and due respect,” Takiyuddin said.

Lau, who is PN deputy chairman and Penang PN chief, is the coalition’s candidate for Bayan Lepas. 

On Tuesday, he was allegedly told to leave the ceramah in Tasek Gelugor.  

He later denied this and said he was supposed to meet Abdul Hadi Awang at 9pm at the event. The PAS president, however, was late and Lau had to leave for another meeting. 

Takiyuddin admitted that PAS, like other parties, was aware that coalition politics tended to cause dissatisfaction and disappointment, especially when it came to the division of seats or selection of candidates.  

“In the context of the selection of Dominic as the PN candidate for the Bayan Lepas state seat, which is a Malay majority seat, PAS is very aware of the sentiment among members and supporters at the local level following his candidacy,” he said.  

“However, PAS believes that when the decision is made with the approval of the party’s top leadership after going through all the processes and passing the stipulated conditions, then members and supporters need to accept it with an open heart, and in addition put their trust in the party’s leadership.

“Therefore, I would like to call on those PAS members and supporters to realise that continued objection, defiance and actions that are against the interest of the party will not only create an unharmonious situation in the PN coalition, but will also challenge and question the wisdom of the decision of PAS’ own president,” the former law minister said. 

Takiyuddin also said that in the current political climate tainted by an extreme and chauvinist narrative, PAS, as the oldest and biggest Islamist party, must be responsible in showing the way towards political maturity and moderation.  

He also said it should provide assistance and protection to anyone or any side that needs it. 

“Pas views Lau and Gerakan as part of those who must be helped and protected.  

“Therefore, once again I call on PAS members and supporters to extend help and assistance as much as possible based on the spirit of friendship and brotherhood,” he said. 

Previously, a group of PAS grassroots members protested against Lau’s candidacy in Bayan Lepas, saying a PAS member should be fielded instead to contest the Malay-majority seat. – August 4, 2023.