If Gerakan wants to leave PN, so be it, says PAS veep

Amar Abdullah responds to Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong, who said his party might leave Perikatan Nasional over disagreements about Chinese school funding.

(FMT) – PAS has no objections if Gerakan decides to leave Perikatan Nasional following differences of opinion over funding for Chinese schools, says its vice-president, Amar Abdullah.

Amar said every party has its rights and positions on issues, and it is up to Gerakan to make its decision.

If Gerakan feels uncomfortable with PN, it is free to leave (the coalition) because this is a democratic country, he told FMT.

His comments follow those of Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong, who said the party will not hesitate to leave PN if its coalition allies continue to display religious extremism and infringe on the rights of non-Muslims.

Oh said this in the wake of a controversy over fundraising for Chinese-medium schools, sparked by criticism from PAS over a deputy minister accepting a RM3 million mock cheque bearing a Tiger Beer logo at a fundraising event.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the Islamic party might not be able to work with Gerakan at the next general election if the latter maintains its position on alcohol companies and Chinese schools.

Amar also said schools should serve as places for nurturing students into valuable members of society, and PAS strongly opposes any negative contributions to educational institutions.

The government itself does not allow sponsorships from tobacco, alcohol, or gambling companies because they have adverse effects on society, he said.

He said if Gerakan chooses to maintain its position, PAS does not have the authority to force it into any decision.

If they leave, what can we do? We do not have the right to force them, and we can’t stop them either, he said.