Is Pakatan in crisis?

(The Star) PETALING JAYA: A Pakatan Rakyat leader said the Opposition pact is now facing a confidence crisis but others have downplayed it, calling it “differences”.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang finally admitted yesterday that the 15-month-old Pakatan is facing a crisis of confidence, saying that speeches by some PAS leaders and resolutions passed at the party’s 55th muktamar had created edginess among Pakatan members, supporters and well-wishers.

The focus on Umno-PAS unity talks and the call to ban Sisters in Islam made at the muktamar were at odds with the message contained in party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s policy speech about Islam leading the way to change, he said.

In the meantime, Umno leaders like its Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin were trying to take advantage of the proposed Umno-PAS unity talks to split and undermine the people’s confidence in Pakatan, Lim said in a statement yesterday.

“I have said before that the theme Hadi chose for his opening speech — Islam Memimpin Perubahan (Islam leads the way to change) — will be a great challenge for PAS to become a national party capable of representing the rights and interests of all citizens.

“However, some of the speeches at the muktamar have had the opposite effect,” he said.

PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the party was waiting for an explanation from PAS on its proposed unity government or discussions with Umno.

“However, we will not prevent or question the desire by any party to discuss issues of national importance,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Her deputy Dr Syed Husin Ali said there was no crisis of confidence in Pakatan but merely more candid expressions of differences.

“Differences between and within parties can be something positive,” he said.

PAS elections director Datuk Mustafa Ali wants Pakatan leaders to cease making conflicting statements on the proposed unity government as they could affect the Manek Urai state by-election.