New party a DAP proxy, can’t make headway, says former PAS sec-gen
(The Malaysian Insider) – The political party being formed by PAS progressives will have a hard time making any headway, said a party veteran, describing it a DAP proxy which will not be trusted by Malays.
Datuk Mustafa Ali said this as former party leaders are expected to launch a political party which observers have argued could replace PAS as an opposition party in the national political landscape.
Mustafa agreed that the party was viable if it got the backing of DAP and PKR, but he was confident it would not get support from the majority of PAS members.
He based this on the party’s history which saw former PAS president Tan Sri Asri Muda leaving the party and forming Parti Hizbul Muslimin Malaysia, or Hamim.
“When he left, there was no exodus of PAS members. PAS members do not follow leaders, they follow the party, that is their ideology.
“They will see this party as formed by people who lost during the (party) elections,” Mustafa, who is now the PAS election director, told The Malaysian Insider.
He spelled out some difficulties the new party, expected to be formed after the Hari Raya holidays, would face in canvassing for Malay-Muslim support.
“Before, when PAS worked with DAP, Umno labelled PAS as being the proxy of DAP, and that we would find it hard to get support.
“Now this new party will wear that label,” said Mustafa, who was former PAS secretary-general.
The new party is expected to be helmed by 18 PAS veterans, almost all ousted from their senior posts during the PAS general assembly on June 6.
