Is DAP treating PAS as enemy, asks delegate

(The Star) – A Penang delegate on Saturday has claimed that DAP-led state government has given them the cold shoulder amid the ongoing crisis between the two parties in the state.

Mohd Nor Haron, in debating the president policy speech at PAS’ 59th Muktamar here, said that the state government’s decision to appoint more representatives from NGO as local councilors was an attempt to “bury” their presence.

“Although we only won one seat in Penang, they shouldn’t think we are not as equally important.

“Is it fair for them to appoint four representatives from NGO and appointed only two representatives from PAS? Are they trying to bury us?” he asked, stressing that PAS has a say in some state portfolios. 

He said that the state government has not responded to any of their formal complaints lodged on the matter, but PAS was asked for their views in their manifesto ahead of general election.

“Is this double standard against Penang PAS? As soon as we won the state, PAS was sidelined. Are they saying that we are an enemy to them? They have to remember this is not Barisan Nasional,” said Mohd Nor.

He also said that the DAP-led state government, which champions the tagline ‘Competency, Accountability, Transparency’ or in short CAT should walk the talk.

“Please be a loving cat, not a fierce cat,” he said, insisting that the Islamist party should not be a mere ‘passenger’ in the alliance.

DAP-led Penang was recently accused by its PAS counterparts of “unreasonably interfering” in the Islamic affairs and in the appointments to state agencies and village development and security committees.

This subsequently led to an ultimatum issued by Penang PAS commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff, saying that they would pull out their representatives from the state and municipal council posts.

PAS president Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang said they would meet with the party’s partners in Penang as soon as possible and said that the matter would be discussed ‘closed-door’.