Kit Siang tells Hadi to be ‘honest’, ‘honourable’ about PAS-Umno partnership
(Malay Mail Online) – PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang should at least inform Pakatan Rakyat (PR) of his party’s interest in working with rival Umno, instead of constantly blaming its disagreements with allies DAP and PKR for the pact’s troubles, Lim Kit Siang said today.
The veteran politician acknowledged that it is Hadi’s prerogative to decide whether PAS should work with Umno, even though it was the late Tok Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who said the ruling party’s leaders can “never be trusted”.
“However, he (Hadi) should be honest and honourable enough to inform the other two parties in Pakatan Rakyat, i.e. DAP and PKR, of such an important change in the political position of PAS in Pakatan Rakyat, as it is tantamount to a fundamental breach and violation of the PR Common Policy Framework and the operational consensus principle of PR that no single party or political leader can veto or override any PR decision,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, Abdul Hadi said whether or not Umno has ulterior motives in pledging support for PAS’s hudud bid in Kelantan does not matter as long as it helps the Islamist party achieve its objective.
The Marang MP said PAS should accept Umno’s gesture as “honest” and that it was not up to the party to decide otherwise as only Allah can determine their rival’s sincerity in wanting to help Kelantan enact Shariah criminal laws.
Today, Lim pointed out that when Hadi submitted a private member’s bill in Parliament, he had violated the PR leadership council decision on February 8 that any such bid should first receive its approval.
“Hadi as good as blamed DAP and PKR for causing PAS to co-operate with Umno in trying to enforce hudud criminal penalties in Kelantan, claiming that the opposition from the other two parties in PR had left PAS with no other choice.
“Had Hadi ever raised at the PR leadership council that PAS is ditching the PR Common Policy Framework and is going headlong to co-operate with UMNO on hudud implementation in Kelantan? “Neither Hadi nor any PAS leader have ever raised such a matter at the PR Leadership Council,” Lim said.
He pointed out that this was not the first time the PAS president had “arbitrarily and single-handedly sought to veto or overrule” a decision made by the council.
The first time, he said, was when PAS authorised its party candidates to contest in six state assembly seats allotted to PKR during the 13th general election.
The second, Lim continued, was when Hadi overruled the council’s decision that PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail be appointed as the Selangor mentri besar.
He added that Hadi had also during the last federal polls offered his party’s commitment to PR’s common policy framework.
“Nobody can stop Hadi from reneging on his commitments under the PR Common Policy Framework but he should not try to put the blame of such a fundamental breach and violation on others,” he said.
