Insisting Pakatan Rakyat still alive, PAS says will work with PKR to ‘reorganise forces’

(Malay Mail Online) – PAS believes Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is still a functioning coalition even without the DAP, and has announced plans to strengthen the pact with the help of PKR and other parties in the peninsula as well as in east Malaysia.

In a statement, PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that without the DAP, PR is still seen as a sturdy and viable political platform.

“PR still exists and this is proven by the support and political cooperation we have in Selangor and Kelantan,” he said.

“PAS will strengthen PR and reorganise our forces… along with PKR and other parties in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak,” he added.

Tuan Ibrahim also said a meeting held last week with PKR resulted in an agreement to strengthen cooperation through discussions at the state level and the federal territories.

“PR without the DAP is a political platform that is strong and still exists until today,” he stressed.

PAS had earlier this year cut off ties with the DAP, leading to the reported demise of the seven-year-old PR pact.

The death of the pact, announced by the DAP, later led to the formation of Pakatan Harapan, which includes PAS offshoot Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).

Although Pakatan Harapan is said to have left its doors open to PAS, the Islamist party has refused to join the pact.

The situation has created uncertainty on the opposition front, particularly in Selangor, which currently counts members from both DAP and PAS as well as PKR as part of its administrative team.

Earlier this week, PKR deputy president and Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali said Selangor and Penang’s differing situation meant a Pakatan Harapan government was not needed in the former state, also reportedly confirming that PKR Supreme Council’s resolution two weeks ago to work with all federal opposition parties including PAS, PSM and those in Sabah and Sarawak.

PAS only holds one state seat in DAP-dominated Penang, while the Islamist party accounts for 13 of the Selangor state assembly against DAP’s 15, PKR’s 13, Barisan Nasional’s 12, Amanah’s two seats and one independent assemblyman.