Resounding support for move to cut ties with PKR at muktamar
(The Star) – Delegates at the PAS muktamar offered resounding support for the move to cut ties with PKR.
The motion, which was unanimously passed was greeted with loud cries of setuju (agree) after being put to the vote.
The matter will now be presented before the syura council, the Islamist party’s highest decision-making body for endorsement.
Despite the strong support for the motion, debaters at the muktamar steered clear from actively running down PKR.
Heeding party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s advice for them not to discuss their relations with PKR, most instead spoke on preparations for the general election through the Gagasan Sejahtera pact while also training their guns on DAP as the party’s main enemy.
Penang delegate Mohd Yusni Mat Pia said it was DAP and not Umno who was the party’s main enemy.
“Our biggest enemy is DAP and those who are anti-Islam,” he said when debating the motion of thanks on the president’s policy speech at the 63rd muktamar here yesterday.
While PAS was against DAP, Kelantan PAS representative Datuk Abdullah Yaakob reminded delegates that the party was not at war with the non-Muslim community.
“We are not feuding with the Chinese, Indians, orang asli, and other minorities in this country.
“That is why we introduced the PAS supporters club,” he said during debates.
He urged the club to work harder to provide explanations to the non-Muslims so that they would not fear the Islamist party.
Abdul Hadi in his closed door briefing on the muktamar, reminded delegates not to raise any “petty and sensitive” issues that could affect the party’s performance in the general election.
In Kluang, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said it was up to members to decide whether there should be any political collaboration between the party and PAS which is cutting ties with DAP and PKR.
He said such a huge agenda was not up to him nor party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to decide.
Hishammuddin also added that he did not see anything wrong in Umno collaborating with PAS if it was in the context of the interest of Muslims and Islam’s position in the face of the world.
“There’s no reason why we cannot work with parties that want to put the interests of Islam first but that does not mean it has to be a political collaboration.
“However, if there is to be a political collaboration, the decision lies with Umno members.
“It is not something that is up to me or the party president to decide,” he said after attending a trainee nurse get-together programme yesterday.
