As Pakatan chasm grows, Kit Siang pines for Nik Aziz

(Malay Mail Online) – DAP’s Lim Kit Siang today burst into eulogy for late PAS spiritual leader Datuk Niz Aziz Nik Mat, whom he said would not have allowed ties within Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to reach the current brink of disaster.

Warning that PR may only have another fortnight to survive — PAS will hold its party elections next month — the DAP parliamentary leader sought repeatedly to remind the Islamist party of Nik Aziz’s refusal to entertain co-operation with Umno as well as his commitment to PR.

Collaboration within the federal opposition pact, particularly between PAS and DAP, have all but ceased owing to increasing acrimony over the Islamist party’s insistence on wanting to enforce hudud, the Islamic penal code, in Kelantan.

With PAS saying it will re-evaluate co-operation with DAP during its Muktamar in June — DAP has already severed ties with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang — Lim said Nik Aziz would have affirmed commitment to the pact’s Common Policy Framework and consensus.

“There is no doubt that if the former PAS Mursyidul Am and former Kelantan mentri besar is alive today, he would not have allowed Pakatan Rakyat to face a life-and-death crisis, for he would have ensured that PAS continue to keep faith with both the Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia with the party’s ‘PAS for All’ agenda and spurned renewed efforts at forming UG (Unity Government) between PAS and Umno,” Lim said in a statement today.

The DAP parliamentary leader pointed out that Nik Aziz had repeatedly stymied attempts to bring PAS and Umno together under the guise of Muslim unity, going to the extent to telling then PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa to join Umno if he was so insistent on working with the rival party.

He said Nik Aziz would have been able to see the “big picture” despite the desire to implement hudud, and would not have attempted to force its introduction at the expense of condemning PR’s chances of unseating a vulnerable Barisan Nasional from power.

Lim added that Nik Aziz would be receptive to an eight-year roadmap the former is now proposing — his latest proposition after a previous coalition to “Save Malaysia” — given that the late PAS leader had been instrumental in formation of the PR pact.

The Gelang Patah MP did not elaborate on his roadmap beyond saying it included the PR parties reaffirming their commitment to the Common Policy Framework and consensus policy.

Disagreement over hudud has caused PAS-DAP ties to devolve to the point of open insults and attacks between the leaders of the two parties.

A recent proposal by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and claims of a bid to form a “unity government” with Umno prompted fresh hostilities between the squabbling allies, with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng yesterday telling Hadi to go ahead and join Umno.

Yesterday, PAS deputy spiritual leader and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad

Yakob said his party will decide whether to continue working with DAP during the Muktamar in Selangor next month.

The Kelantan state assembly approved the Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment on March 19 with 31 votes from PAS lawmakers supported by 12 from Umno.

Hadi also submitted a private member’s Bill to Parliament to remove the legal obstacles that prevent the enforcement of hudud in Kelantan, which requires bipartisan support from Umno and others to pass.

DAP is banking on Hadi’s removal as PAS president during the Muktamar to allow continued co-operation with the Islamist party, although it has since conceded that he is unlikely to face any real challenge for the post.