PAS to snub Pakatan convention due to DAP presence

(MMO) – PAS has rejected PKR’s invitation to attend the maiden Pakatan Harapan convention this weekend as it will not share the same space with DAP, the Islamist party’s information chief Nasrudin Hassan said today.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby, Nasrudin said PAS has “long severed ties with DAP”.

He also pointed out that his party was not a member of the pact, even if it does maintain ties with PKR.

“Sending an invite is their right, but we will not join their gathering or conventions because we are not a part of them (Pakatan),” he said.

“PAS do not have a co-operation with Pakatan Harapan, and this is not a PKR convention,” he added, referring to the invitation sent by PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli.

Rafizi previously said that the Islamist party was invited to the convention, as Pakatan Harapan was seeking to gather all federal opposition parties on the same platform ahead of a general election due in less than two years.

The previous Pakatan Rakyat pact of PAS, PKR and DAP collapsed last year after DAP and PAS fought over the latter’s bid to implement hudud law in Kelantan.

PAS went on to form its own coalition with Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia, while the party’s progressives left to form Parti Amanah Negara, which joined DAP and PKR in Pakatan Harapan.

Both Pakatan Harapan and PAS were locked in three-corner battles with Barisan Nasional during the recent Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections, handing comfortable wins to BN in both contests.

Former Umno leaders had also gone on to form Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), led by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

PPBM had also said it would open talks with PAS with a view of uniting all the opposition parties to ensure there are straight battles against BN.