PAS supporters disrupt PSM ceramah
Angry supporters disrupt ceramah after PAS makes way to PSM to contest Kota Damansara state seat.
Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT
A Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) ceramah was disrupted by angry PAS supporters who were unhappy with their party’s decision to give way to PSM contest the Kota Damansara state seat.
The group of 20 unhappy PAS supporters yesterday stormed PSM’s Kota Damansara ceramah – which featured PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali – and demanded their leader to denounce PSM candidate Mohd Nasir Hashim.
Nasir, who is the incumbent, will be contesting under the PKR logo.
“PAS tidak menyokong sosialis (PAS do not support socialists)!” they chanted, brandishing hand-painted banners in support of PAS’ candidate for Kota Damansara, Ridzuan Ismail.
However, Mustafa brushed their presence aside and called for Pakatan Rakyat to unite as a coalition to support Nasir, who is also PSM chief.
“Let them be. The rest of us must unite to defeat the common enemy, which is Umno and Barisan Nasional,” Mustafa told the audience.
The disgruntled PAS supporters then retorted with: “We are not against PAS and PKR, we are against PSM!”
Following Mustafa’s address, the group walked away from the ceramah and called for “all those who have faith” to boycott Nasir’s speech.
“Don’t listen to a socialist,” they said, leaving the venue and holding up their banners from across the road.
However, the group dispersed peacefully after being approached by plain-clothes policemen who told them they were not allowed to rally without a permit.
“We have made our point,” a member of the group said, before walking away.
Nasir had initially wanted to recontest his seat under PSM’s banner after the party was officially registered after the 2008 general election.
However, PKR had insisted PSM contest under its ticket as per their arrangement in 2008. PSM eventually gave in to PKR over the matter but faced another complication when PAS fielded its own candidate on nomination day.
Last week, PAS finally backed down on the three-cornered fight to allow Mohd Nasir to tackle BN in a straight fight.
