Pakatan in self-destruct mode over Selangor MB issue, say PAS leaders
Amin Iskandar, The Malaysian Insider
The three-party opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat is heading for a break-up after Hari Raya Aidilfitri because of PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s support for embattled Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, which goes against the stand of the pact’s leadership council, a PAS insider said.
The party leader, who had attended last Wednesday’s meeting which agreed to the removal of Khalid, said PAS’s meeting on August 10 was expected to be a fiery affair, and would see a clash between supporters of the two-term MB and those who respect PKR’s decision to replace him.
“Looks like Pakatan might split up after Hari Raya. I see strong signs pointing towards that. Hadi has gone against the decision reached at both PAS’s and the Pakatan presidential council meeting which he did not attend,” said the leader who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“How do you expect us not be upset with this latest development? We attended the Pakatan meeting after PAS made its decision the previous night,” said the source, referring to PAS’s consensus that Khalid should go although it had yet to agree on the replacement candidate.
PKR had endorsed its president and Kajang assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the next MB but questions remained over her suitability and experience, especially from PAS.
According to the PAS leader, those who supported the move for a new MB helming the country’s richest state were from the professional faction while Khalid’s supporters were conservatives from the Ulama and Youth wings.
The leader added that the conservatives had never favoured the Islamist party’s alliance with Pakatan and would grab the opportunity to support Hadi’s stance to push their case forward on August 10.
“When tensions hit the roof, they will persuade PAS to leave Pakatan. This will see the end of the coalition.
“Never mind, I am prepared to see PAS return to its old days of merely being an opposition party that can win only in Kelantan,” the leader added sarcastically.
PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad did not dismiss the possibility of Pakatan splitting over the menteri besar issue, saying: “We are currently in a self-destruct mode. If we do not work to save Pakatan, then it is not impossible for it to split up.
“We need divine intervention to salvage Pakatan Rakyat, when everything else fails.”
The possibility of Pakatan breaking up because of the Selangor menteri besar crisis does not surprise political analysts. Even DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has sounded the alarm bells.
Lim said yesterday PAS’s refusal to respect and adhere to the views agreed together could lead to the break-up of the coalition.
