Under Pakatan govt, PAS top brass sing a different tune

Zulkifli Sulong Zulkifli Sulong Updated 5 years ago · Published on 15 Jun 2018 7:14AM · 7 Comments

SEVERAL top PAS leaders are showing a marked difference in their treatment of Pakatan Harapan, even conceding the coalition is on the right track to reform Malaysia and fulfil its election promises.

This contrasts with the the Islamist party’s attitude before the May 9 polls, when party president Abdul Hadi Awang dismissed PH as no-hopers and struck up an unofficial partnership with Umno.

PAS  also fielded candidates in several key parliamentary and state seats to force three-cornered contests, ostensibly to ensure PH candidates did not obtain the votes that went to the opposition.

But barely six weeks after the election, veteran PAS leader Mustafa Ali is singing a different tune.

In an interview with The Malaysian Insight Mustafa was all praise for PH, which comprises Bersatu, DAP, Amanah and PKR, and its leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“The new government is serious about fulfilling the promises in its manifesto. They, especially Tun Mahathir himself, are working hard to fulfil what was promised,” he said.

The former PAS secretary-general said the Mahathir administration was working to revive the economy and was dealing with the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal “swiftly and well”.

Former prime minister Najib Razak is under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over allegations he received millions of dollars from a former 1MDB subsidiary, SRC International.

Last year, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man Mustafa had said the party was satisfied with 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy’s explanations for the sovereign fund’s money troubles; Arul had also dismissed allegations that billions of ringgit were siphoned from the state fund by several high-ranking individuals.

But shortly after Dr Mahathir reopened a shuttered probe into 1MDB, the party had clarified the satisfaction it had expressed then was for the rationalisation plan put forward to resolve 1MDB’s debts, stating it was never happy with the explanation for the investment fund’s colossal losses.

Mustafa said PH has made several important decisions since coming into power last month, including postponing the RM110 billion Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project and reviewing the RM66 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).

He said while the new government may not be able to fulfil all its promises within its first 100 days in power, as pledged in its manifesto, they were on the right track.

“They seem to be sincere about wanting to implement them,” he said.

The party’s top leadership have of late been trying to play down the anti-DAP and anti-PH rhetoric that was rife prior to GE14.

Last month, PAS secretary general Takiyuddin Hassan made a statement distancing the party’s top brass from individual statements made by other party leaders.

He said official party statements and position on all major issues can only be issued by the president, deputy president and secretary general.

Recently, PAS research centre director Mohamad Zuhdi Marzuki accused PH of using its ‘Malaysia Baru’ theme to implement DAP’s ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ agenda.

He alleged that PH was seeking to change the social contract, putting Bumiputera’s privileges and Islam’s status as the official religion at risk.

Mustafa said Zuhdi’s views represented a “minority opinion” within the party.

“It does not reflect PAS’s mainstream view. It is just his personal opinion, he doesn’t understand Malaysia’s political reality,” he told The Malaysian Insight, adding that he is confident that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang did not share the same view as Zuhdi.

Mustafa said while relations between PAS and DAP had soured in recent years, he was hopeful both sides could work together in common territory.

“The common ground we share is more than the small number of differences.” – June 15, 2018.

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Comments

  • So you see...PASturds can be practical when push comes to shove....
    AS long as its done for the good of OUR MALAYSIA.....
    Let us also be practical....

    Posted 5 years ago by Ramamurthi ram · Reply

  • So what happened to the DAP Anti-Islam controlling Pakatan?? So is DAP still evil and against Islam or Hadi's PAS is just wrong or they knew all along and lied?

    Posted 5 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • No responsible islamic party...........I THINK PAS DOES NOT KNOW DAP IN PAKATAN HARAPAN....HA HA HA

    Posted 5 years ago by Mohanarajan murugeson · Reply

  • PAS got no moral principles. All they wanted was power to implement Islamic laws according to their version. They bashed DAP n Tun before election. They sided with MCA n use the same script like Umno to demonise the people on DAP. Isn't that evil? They are using religion for their own purpose instead of what it was originally for. If they behave like this now, what more if they got power? They can never be trusted

    Posted 5 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • There are some turds in the higher hierarchy of PAS that sees $$$ and power as their instant gratification and godly reward on earth. The change of tune is reflective of this mentality. Having said that, there are many pious and well meaning people within the party who is trying to do the right thing and attempts to correct the misleading chieftains from within. It's the grass roots that deserve more support for trying to steer their leaders from the traps of devil in many disguises.

    Posted 5 years ago by Shovel Nose · Reply

  • If PH ever gets in bed with PAS again, I am voting for BN.

    Posted 5 years ago by Ramli Taro · Reply

  • There's is no surprise at all for Pas u-turn about PH. This is not the first time, neither going to be the last, Pas u-turn on local politics. Dap was treated as a deadly enemy when they break off from the previous coalition. Suddenly after PH coming to power a quick u-turn makes Dap more acceptable. Pas has come to terms with real politik. This clearly shows that religion is just a camouflage for Pas to attract votes. In reality Pas is just like a political party like any other. The people should not be misled by it's religious rhetoric.

    Posted 5 years ago by Saham san · Reply