Nasharudin denies attempt to bring PAS closer to Umno
Embattled PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa today denied that he had attempted to get the party to work with Umno or Barisan Nasional (BN) saying that the accusation was an attempt to break party unity.
Speaking at the opening of the PAS Youth Muktamar, Nasharudin reiterated the party’s official stand in strengthening the federal opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat.
“The top leadership has never planned or attempted to join Umno or BN. And I believe my brothers in Dewan Pemuda will be behind me,” Nasharudin told some 200 PAS Youth delegates here.
Nasharudin is being challenged for the party deputy presidency by vice-president Datuk Husam Musa who is contesting out of frustration with the Bachok MP whom he described as being “too liberal with Umno” for his involvement in the Malay unity talks with the ruling party after last year’s general election.
With the party election being seen as a contest between the conservative ulama and the professionals, Nasharudin also spoke of the importance of the two groups to the Islamist party and asked the PAS Youth to defend the leadership of the ulama.
“Youth members who are mostly professionals, no matter what their background is, must be the source of strength in assisting the ulama leadership,” said Nasharudin.
The two term deputy president who is backed by the conservative faction in the party also urged the PAS Youth delegates to protect the party’s secrets and not to let themselves be used by their enemies.
Nasharudin also asked the delegates to be prepared to take over the government.
“PAS’s image as an opposition party needs to be rebranded. PAS is not only an opposition party that opposes all government moves, but PAS now is an Islamic party which is on the verge of taking over the national leadership in the near future,” said Nasharudin.
“Our thinking and action must be trained and prepared to run a government,” he added.
