Without Hadi, Pakatan cannot function properly, Guan Eng tells PAS

(Malay Mail Online) – DAP refused today to back down from its decision to stay out of all Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership council meetings unless PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang attends them.

In a statement here, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng pointed out that Abdul Hadi holds the veto power in PAS and without his attendance, PR cannot function cohesively as a united pact.

He cited the recent Selangor mentri besar crisis as an example, noting that although PAS representatives had attended a number of PR meetings on the matter, their decisions were later vetoed by Abdul Hadi.

“As a coalition, PR cannot function properly if Abdul Hadi does not attend PR leadership Council meetings, causing both PKR and DAP having to play a guessing game on which decisions will be vetoed by Abdul Hadi,” Lim said.

“It is untenable for any coalition to operate in such a dysfunctional manner if we are to convince Malaysian voters that we have what it takes to replace Barisan Nasional (BN) as the next Malaysian government in Putrajaya.”

Lim added that DAP’s position on the matter, which was decided during the party’s central executive council (CEC) meeting recently, has been conveyed to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He reiterated that his party is willing to wait until Abdul Hadi is available to attend PR’s meetings so as to ensure that all decisions made by the pact’s leadership council demonstrates a united front.

He expressed regret at recent remarks made by PAS leaders on the CEC’s decision, and reminded them that unlike the practice in DAP and PKR, decisions in PAS can only be approved by Abdul Hadi.

“Whilst PR started off as a coalition of parties comprising PAS, PKR and DAP, it is now essentially PKR, DAP and Abdul Hadi.

“Out of respect for PAS and also Abdul Hadi’s absolute authority in PAS, DAP has sought for Hadi’s attendance at PR leadership council meetings,” he said.

On Thursday, PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said it was unwise to compel Abdul Hadi to attend all PR meetings due to the leader’s ailing health.

Earlier, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali accused Lim of skipping more PR meetings than Abdul Hadi.

During the Selangor mentri besar imbroglio, the PR leadership council showed a fractured front when its principle of consensus broke down over the appointment of a new leader to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Abdul Hadi had refused to nominate PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as Khalid’s replacement at the time, openly snubbing the decision by ally parties PKR and DAP.

Adding salt to wound, the PAS president even publicly criticised Dr Wan Azizah, saying she was not fit to be the next Selangor MB.