Husam slams PAS-Umno talks

Written by Sharon Tan, The Edge   

PAS deputy president candidate Datuk Husam Musa said it was too late for deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa to deny any plans for the party to join Umno.

"I am part of the top leadership so I know what really happened behind the scene," he said when asked by reporters to comment on Nasharuddin’s statement yesterday that the party did not have any plans to join Umno.
 
Asked if he thinks that Nasharuddin was stretching the truth, Husam said: "The truth will come out later."
 
Husam, who is in a tight three corner race with incumbent Nasharuddin and vice president Mohammad Sabu for the deputy president post, said he contested because of his love for the party.
 
"If PAS compliments Umno, PAS will become the lackey. PAS cannot get more seats than Umno and Umno will remain the dominant party in the country. So that’s the end of PAS’ chances (to rule)," he said, stressing that PAS must be the alternative party to Umno.
 
On Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) plan to take over the federal government and the prime minister post would be possible for PAS, he said the possibility is there.
 
"But if you complement Umno, you will be Minister in PM’s department. I won’t be satisfied because my boss will be under Umno," said Husam.
 
Asked if PAS is a supplement to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), he said he is known as the tough negotiator for seats and he believed that the parties must have same standing.
 
Husam also dismissed that there were issues among the parties in PR as party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang would have brought it up in his opening speech at the party’s 55th muktamar today.
 
He also pointed out that all personal attacks on him could not be substantiated with evidence to date.
 
"There is an agenda outside the party to smear my name. You can guess where it is coming from. It is from enemy outside the party," said Husam.
 
On whether the party’s office bearers election outcome will determine its cooperation with Umno in the future, he said it should not be construed in such a manner.
 
"I think I already sent a bold message to every level of the party. There should be no cooperation with Umno in terms of governance. If Umno is defeated later and they want to work with us then it is fine. PAS must always be on top. If Umno is on top then there will be no change," Husam said.