PAS will only work with parties that accept Islam as a whole, youth chief says

(Malay Mail Online) – PAS will only work with political parties that accepted Islam as whole including issues like hudud, Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz has said.

“We have never backed down from inviting the people of Malaysia, especially Muslims to return to an all-encompassing Islam,” the PAS youth chief told Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia’s weekly edition Mingguan Malaysia.

“It doesn’t matter if it is Umno, DAP, or anyone who can accept Islam, we encourage it. But if they only accept partially and rejected other parts, and then ask us to reject [hudud] with them, then there cannot be unity,” he added.

On the party’s relationship with PKR, he said it was mutually beneficial for the two parties to maintain cooperation, despite the former rejecting the latter’s invitation to participate in the formation of the new coalition Pakatan Harapan.

Nik Abduh added that unlike DAP, PKR has managed to agree to disagree with PAS and maintain a mutual respect for one another.

“Although the core struggles of PAS and PKR are different, when we maintain mutual respect, we can continue to work together. The one that is different is DAP, as everyone knows DAP intrudes on PAS’s struggles while we have never done such things,” he said.

“So to accuse PAS as the reason behind the disbanding of the opposition coalition is not true. The proof is in our acceptance of PKR despite their relationship with DAP.

“If we simply act based on emotions, then that relationship would have definitely ended,” he added.

Pakatan Harapan was formed on September 22 between PKR, DAP and newly formed Amanah with PAS being excluded due to strained relationships with the latter two.

The previous opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, dissolved mainly due to the disagreement between DAP and PAS over the Islamist party’s hudud ambition. Both sides traded barbs for some time before cutting ties, resulting in the dissolution of the five-year-old pact.

Amanah was formed by PAS progressives who were ousted of their leadership roles in the Muktamar earlier this year, and left the party.

PAS had rejected offers by PKR to participate in the formation of Pakatan Harapan due to the mutual disdain between PAS and DAP and Amanah.