PAS orders all its Selangor reps to back Azmin, stick with Pakatan

(The Star) – PAS has ordered all its 15 assemblymen in Selangor to support Mentri Besar Azmin Ali to avoid the collapse of the Pakatan Rakyat government.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the Islamist party would defend the ruling coalition in order not to betray the voters who had given them the mandate to serve two consecutive terms.

The PAS central committee had ordered Selangor commissioner Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad to direct all their assemblymen to stand by Azmin.

“PAS will defend the government that was built together,” said Hadi, snubbing DAP which had declared that the coalition had ceased to exist.

Hadi said PAS would remain in Pakatan Rakyat and defend the ruling government.

Azmin had also said that Pakatan Rakyat still existed as the government was still functioning with representatives from all three parties in the state executive council.

PAS and DAP hold 15 seats each while PKR has 13 seats. PKR had lost one seat after sacking former mentri besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. Rival coalition Barisan Nasional holds 12 seats in Selangor.

Azmin, who is PKR deputy president, said the Sultan of Selangor wanted to see stability in the state.

Hadi said they would stick with Pakatan Rakyat as long as it did not contradict Al-Quran and as-Sunnah as stipulated in Article 7 (1) of the PAS constitution.

On DAP’s claim that PAS was pushing for a unity government with Umno, Hadi said the Islamist party would continue its collaboration with Pakatan Rakyat as long as there was no contradiction to Al-Quran and as-Sunnah.

“I would like to reiterate that PAS’ collaboration with Pakatan Rakyat components in Selangor is within the framework of defending the government that was formed with the trust given by the people,” he said.