DAP stupid to make an enemy of PAS, says Lina Soo

Reform leader says the DAP’s poor relationship with PAS will likely result in Pakatan Harapan losing seats that the Islamist party helped them win before.

(FMT) – The DAP is “stupid” to have made an enemy of PAS since it will likely result in Pakatan Harapan, the coalition to which they belong, losing seats that the Islamist party helped them win in previous general elections.

In an interview with FMT, state Reform party president Lina Soo said, “By going at loggerheads with PAS, Pakatan (Harapan) will lose seats where DAP had been dependent upon the goodwill of PAS members to win.”

She also said Umno was courting PAS because the ruling party knew it was the latter that could provide the “numerical support the Pakatan political machinery needed” to win

“This is why the opposition all along needed PAS to win Putrajaya. DAP is stupid to have made an enemy out of PAS.

“In the past they (DAP) were able to co-operate with PAS, saying Islamic laws were only meant for Muslims. Once DAP got a bit of the taste of power, they turned around and buang (threw) PAS out, saying they’re against hudud (Islamic law),” Soo said.

“They are now slapping themselves. The reality is, without PAS and the seats they bring to the table, the opposition cannot take over Putrajaya. With the latest political developments with Umno, the opposition now can eat their hearts out,” she said, of Umno’s friendly ties with PAS.

Soo also told FMT the opposition was in disarray and would not be able to mount a serious challenge to Umno rule.

“The opposition has lost the golden opportunity of a lifetime. When Umno was at its weakest, they decided to go against one another.”

Soo added that voters in Sabah and Sarawak were also less enamoured with national parties, claiming local parties were favoured instead.

In the 2013 election, there were 125 rural seats and 54 semi-urban ones, of a total of 222.

PAS won 21 seats, but seven MPs have since left, mostly to form Parti Amanah Negara. Out of the 133 seats won by BN, Umno controls 88.