KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- Cracks are beginning to emerge in the three-party opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, with DAP openly declaring it now wants the alliance to review PAS' membership in the grouping.
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said PAS had thrown grave doubts over its credibility, adding that Pakatan Rakyat should seriously consider, in view of events of late, whether PAS should be allowed continued membership in the alliance.
"The assurance by PAS president (Datuk Seri) Abdul Hadi Awang to Pakatan Rakyat partners (Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP), that PAS will not abandon the alliance to join the BN, is not bona fide and is not supported by past events.
"After the March 8 general elections, PAS had talks with Umno to form a coalition government in Selangor.
"This was an act of bad faith as both DAP and PKR were not informed of such a move by PAS," he said in a statement, Sunday.
The Bukit Gelugor member of parliament was reacting to recent reports wich confirmed that PAS and Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), were in talks to sustain Malay unity in the country.
Karpal also slammed the move by PAS to hold another round of talks with Umno "in the name of Malay unity", calling this a "racial move" by PAS, which he claimed was incongruous with the policies of the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat.
Pakatan Rakyat, made up of DAP, PKR and PAS, rule five states, namely Kelantan, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Perak and Selangor.
Any break-up in the coalition will result in change in the state governments of these states, except for Kelantan where PAS secures majority of the state seats.
Yesterday, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat suggested that UMNO and PAS be dissolved and a new party formed to unite all Malays.
"Such a revelation is startling and has serious ramifications, implications and consequences. Nik Aziz's statement reduces to naught Hadi Awang's statement in Ipoh, also yesterday, that PAS would not merge with Umno or join Barisan Nasional.
"Obviously, statements made by PAS leaders of late, give the perception that they are out to scuttle the Pakatan Rakyat," said Karpal.
The DAP chairman's statement also had an error, stating PAS' Nasharudin Mat Isa as PAS secretary-general when in actual fact, the PAS diehard was the party's deputy president.
"Last week, PAS secretary-general (to read as deputy president) Nasharudin Mat Isa stated that the Malays were beginning to believe the sodomy allegations against Anwar Ibrahim.
"Why did Nasharudin make such a statement? In making the statement, he has committed PAS as a whole, he being its secretary-general (deputy president).
"Nasharudin's statement is not only contempous and ill-advised but an open attack on Anwar Ibrahim who is presently embroiled in efforts to tarnish his credibility by allegations of sodomy.
"PAS should not and cannot be allowed to run with the hares and hunt with hounds, lest it be devoured by the hounds," said Karpal.
He said the March 8 general election had given the opposition coalition the mandate to rule five states with 82 members of parliament, and that it was "obvious" that the people wanted a two-party system.
"Above all, the rakyat (people) voted along non-racial lines. Instead of working towards a non-racial policy to unite all Malaysians, PAS has chosen to make efforts to unite all Malays.
"The Pakatan Rakyat was formed to unite all Malaysians. That is the expectation of the rakyat," he added.
Bernama
27/07/08
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