Mustafa Ali wants PAS and Pakatan to bury the hatchet

Zulkifli Sulong Zulkifli Sulong Updated 5 years ago · Published on 17 Jun 2018 11:00AM · 10 Comments

PAS stalwart Mustafa Ali says the federal and state governments must have good communication in accordance with the principals of federalism. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 17, 2018.

PUTRAJAYA should cooperate with the governments of Kelantan and Terengganu to develop the two East Coast states, said PAS stalwart Mustafa Ali.

He said voters had given Pakatan Harapan the mandate to run and develop the country, and the federal government should not discriminate against the opposition. 

“The central government surely wants to develop the country as best as it can. Likewise, those who run the state governments also want to develop their states after the election.

“The relationship between state and federal is vital. Both sides must have good communication in accordance with the principals of federalism,” Mustafa said in an interview with The Malaysian Insight. 

The former PAS secretary-general said he had brokered a meeting between Terenganu Menteri Besar Dr Ahmad Shamsuri Mokhtar and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The meeting, on June 4, was also attended by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang. 

After a long absence from PAS’ central leadership, Mustafa’s appearance with Hadi and Samsuri surprised certain quarters in the Islamist party, just as the meeting with Dr Mahathir meeting drew the attention of political observers.

Dr Mahathir and PAS have never had a cordial relationship as political opponents; the prime minister during his first tenure had frequently attacked the party for abusing Islam to win votes.

Mustafa said the meeting was intended to foster better working relationships between PAS and Dr Mahathir who is prime minister for the second time after May 9, and between Putrajaya and the PAS states, especially Terengganu which is in dire need of its oil royalties.

PAS retained control of Kelantan, which the party has ruled since 1990, and re-captured Terengganu which it had controlled for 20 years after the 1999 election.

For five years between 1999 and 2004, when Dr Mahathir was prime minister, the federal government and the two states had disputed over oil royalties.

Soon after the recent meeting, Samsuri announced the federal government had agreed to pay oil royalties directly to the state governments, including to PAS-led Terengganu and Kelantan.

“Based on our history, when the party ruling the state is not the same as party running the federal government, there’s always pressure on the state government,” Mustafa said.

“This was PAS’ experience in Kelantan and Terengganu and Kedah (after the 2008 general election), when there was no friendly relations between the federal government and the state.

“It certainly affected the party’s (PAS) ability to develop the state. Therefore, I think there should be a good relationship between the federal and the state.”

During that period, federal aid was not channelled directly to the state government but was distributed through a federal agency established in the state. 

Mustafa said his views are shared by Hadi and Samsuri, who also felt there was a need for good relations between Putrajaya and the state. 

He said at the meeting, all parties agreed Putrajaya’s relations with the states needed to be strengthened.

Dr Mahathir also promised to give petroleum royalties to the Terengganu government as stipulated in the agreement and Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto, Mustafa said. 

He citied the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project as another area that benefited from cooperation between the federal and state governments.

“If there is no cooperation, this project will not be carried out because it requires state land, therefore this relationship needs to be there,” said Mustafa. – June 17, 2018.

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Comments

  • Very slow talk very knid talk NO RELIGIOUS TALK....NO HUDUD TALK....NO ISLAMIC VALUE INCLUDED TALK.......Mr. MUSTAFA IS LIKE A CUNNING FOX ....CANNOT SEE CHINESE VOTER OR DAP AT ALL..... BEFORE GE 14 ....KOW KOW BN SUPPORTER AFTER GE 14 LOW LOW PH LUCK TRY A FOOL WILL NOT ALWAYS BE A FOOL PAS MUST KNOW THAT.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mohanarajan murugeson · Reply

  • Good intentions Mustafa but go change PAS within 1ST...... all you guys are interested in buying new cars and not new developments......even the folks in Saudi are changing but PAS is going the opposite direction. Change within and come clean ....... PAS seems scared now......LOL

    Posted 5 years ago by Crishan Veera · Reply

  • If he means he say it - DAP is not anti-Islam, they slandered DAP.

    Posted 5 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Ha ha ha bury the hatchet ha ha ha kiss my ass la ha ha ha

    Posted 5 years ago by Leslie Chan · Reply

  • I know I should not but when it comes to PAS...here's my middle finger to you!

    Posted 5 years ago by Edi suleiman · Reply

  • We are all Malaysians. There is no animosity but only a difference in ideology. I agree that we should all work for the betterment of our country.

    Posted 5 years ago by Henry Mancini Jr · Reply

  • PAS, after all the bashing you gave to PH, to Dr M, n to DAP, you are asking them to bury the hatchet? What talking you? You don't have morality or at least courtesy? If you want someone to bury the hatchet, in the first place, you must apologize for the wrong. You use religion, n your version of religion is an intolerant one, n you use racism, against PH. You demonized DAP using the same script as Umno. If you truly want to bury the hatchet, you must renounce these kind of wayward tactic to score political brownies. Until you admit to your wrongdoing n repent, the hatchet cannot be buried

    Posted 5 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • The issue is TRUST. And PAS has a huge deficit on trust. Whose to say that this is nit just another trap? Cooperate? Sure but demand they ditch their religious rhetoric in return!

    Posted 5 years ago by Johan Iskandar · Reply

  • It is a good thing to bury the hatchet but perhaps PAS should start with an apology. You criticised TM, condemned DAP, and even prayed for the death of Harapan. Now you say PUTRAJAYA should cooperate with the governments of Kelantan and Terengganu. Sounds kind of arrogant and rude. Where is your humility?

    Posted 5 years ago by Andrew Leong · Reply

  • PAS wants equal treatment from Putrajaya but does not treat non-Muslims equally. The reasons are very clear and we know what they are. Ini ideologi PAS, so non-Muslims beware. Why must Kelantan and now Terengganu keep asking from Putrajaya. These 2 states have very poor economic management record, and it is time they fix their economic mess. Too many people from Kelantan and Kerengganu are leaving for other states, and overseas. Why? Simply because PAS cannot provide them with jobs. Tak malu kah PAS?

    Posted 5 years ago by Da Hi · Reply