PAS started this ‘war’, not us, DAP tells PKR
(Malay Mail Online) – DAP blamed PAS today for the friction between them, accusing the Islamist party’s president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang of starting the “war” when he pledged to field candidates in all DAP-held seats in the next general election.
Apart from that, Hadi also insulted the DAP when he said last weekend that cities ruled by the party would be turned into gambling and drinking dens for Muslims, DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke (pic) said today.
Loke was responding to PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli who reportedly urged the DAP yesterday to stop taking a confrontational approach with PAS so as to prevent three-cornered fights with the Islamist party at the next general election.
“It must be reminded that it is not the DAP being confrontational with PAS but the PAS leadership… particularly the PAS president who declared a ‘war’ on DAP.
“It was also PAS that announced that they would contest in every DAP-held seat in the 14th general election,” Loke said in a statement.
The Seremban MP went on to remind Rafizi that PAS leaders have even openly stated their willingness to work with Pakatan Harapan’s political foes in Barisan Nasional (BN).
Further evidence of PAS’s willingness to cooperate with BN and ruling Umno, said Loke, is the party’s decision to abstain from voting against Budget 2016 in Parliament.
He noted that in the first round of the votes during policy stage yesterday, only three PAS MPs had joined those in former allies DAP and PKR in voting against the budget.
“However courageous, the actions of these three PAS MPs do not represent the official position of their party’s top leadership, who appear to be friendlier with BN than with Pakatan Harapan parties at this point,” Loke said.
The federal lawmaker added that although his party does not reject any attempt to ensure straight fights with BN in the next election, its allies must be “realistic” and aware of PAS’s stand in the matter.
“PAS at this juncture will not compromise anything for Parti Amanah Negara or the DAP. Surely PKR understands this as well as they, too, were betrayed by PAS in several seats during Election 2013.
“Therefore, all parties in Pakatan Harapan should strengthen their respective machineries and get ready to face a scenario in the 14th general election where there could be clashes with both BN and PAS in many of the seats we intend to contest,” Loke said.
On September 6, Abdul Hadi was reported in Mingguan Malaysia as saying that since Amanah plans to field candidates in PAS seats, PAS will in turn field non-Malay members from its Supporters Congress (DHPP) in non-Malay dominated seats like those held by the DAP.
In his response the following day, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told the PAS president to proceed with the strategy.
