DAP’s ‘provocation’ reason enough to break up Pakatan, says PAS Ulama

(Malay Mail Online) – PAS’ influential clergy wing accused today its ally DAP of meddling with the party’s internal polls this week, pointing to the latter’s decision to reconsider its position in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) based on PAS’ annual congress, or muktamar this year.

The ulama wing’s acting chief Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamad said DAP’s purported interference is a “provocative” move, which he said can nullify the tahaluf siyasi, or political consensus, between PAS and its PR allies.

“Recently, DAP has given a signal of interference in PAS polls by assuming that they will make a decision regarding their position in PR after the muktamar. It is an obvious interference signal so delegates will choose a new PAS who are pro towards DAP’s act,” Mahfodz told the wing in his keynote address.

“This situation reminds us of the conditions of the tahaluf siyasi listed down by PAS’ Syura Council in 2009,” he said, referring to the Islamist party’s decision-making body.

“This provocative action by DAP can cancel the tahaluf siyasi, which is the political cooperation between an Islamic party and the socialist party,” he added.

The term tahaluf siyasi is used to describe PAS’ working arrangement with its allies in PR, and was coined during its 2012 muktamar.

DAP has cut down ties with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, but not PAS, after the latter tabled a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to remove legal obstacles that prevent the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

Abdul Hadi then reportedly said PAS is ready to sever ties with the DAP for excluding the Islamist party and PKR from its shadow Cabinet.