PAS split widens over talks with Umno
(The Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Realising the damage done to the party over the unity government proposal, PAS leaders from the pro-Pakatan Rakyat (PR) faction are now prepared to retaliate against the conservatives who favour forging closer ties with Umno.
Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and several senior members of the Erdogans faction had a closed-door discussion just after the recently-concluded party muktamar (general assembly) to come up with an action plan against the ulama faction in the party who are still keen on forging closer ties with Umno.
A party insider familiar with the meeting said former vice-president Datuk Husam Musa, who was defeated in the deputy presidential contest, may decline appointment to the central working committee as a sign of protest.
And they are also trying to get another defeated deputy presidential contender Mohamad Sabu not to join the new line-up.
“Nik Aziz was very sad with the ongoing debate on a unity government,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We are worried that the idea has become popular among some PAS leaders. In Perak, voices against the dissolution of assembly can already be heard, and in Selangor there are attempts to revive the unity talks with Umno.
"The leadership was not serious in resolving the issue; it should have been properly debated during the muktamar,” he added.
Being the strongest critic of any form of cooperation with Umno, Nik Aziz was also disappointed with the outcome of the party election last weekend when all Kelantan executive councillors were rejected by the delegates.
Apart from Husam, who lost to Nasharudin Mat Isa in the deputy presidential race, three other senior Kelantan leaders also lost in the party election.
Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, a favourite candidate to replace Nik Aziz as mentri besar, failed to make it in the top three in the vice-presidents' contest.
Two other Kelantan executive councillors Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan and Datuk Anuar Tan Abdullah lost the central working committee contest.
