Perak commissioner reveals attempt for tie-up with Umno
Written by Sharon Tan, The Edge
Perak PAS Commissioner Ahmad Awang revealed that a party leader wanted to form a coalition with Umno to rule the state after the March 8 general election last year.
In his winding-up speech at the 55th PAS muktamar, Ahmad, who did not seek re-election as vice-president, told the delegates that he received a call from the official who is part of the party's national leadership asking him to band with Umno, which he refused.
He said the leader contacted him a day or two after PAS had announced that it would be forming the government with PKR and DAP.
"I refused because even before the 12th general election, we in PAS had made a decision that we will not form any government with Umno and Barisan Nasional," said Ahmad when approached by reporters.
However, he refused to name the leader who made the call. "Only a few other leaders and myself know who he is," said Ahmad, who smiled when pressed if the said leader is still in the new elected line-up of PAS leadership.
He said PAS was offered the menteri besar, state assembly speaker and exco positions in the effort to form the first Malay-dominated Perak state government.
"(Ousted Perak Menteri Besar) Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin was one of the first who was asked to cooperate with Umno," he added.
Ahmad also claimed that Umno had used Perak mufti Datuk Hurussani Zakaria as a go-between for former Perak menteri besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali and PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
He alleged that Harussani attempted to trick him into agreeing to a partnership with Umno by telling him that Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had agreed to the cooperation between the parties.
"But I know Niz Aziz well and he would never agree to something like this," said Ahmad, adding that Umno leaders were desperate to get PAS to change its mind to the point of sending another go-between to intercept him at the Iskandariah palace just before the swearing-in ceremony of the menteri besar.
"I just ignored them and walked off," he said.
