Talks caused panic in PR, open split in PAS, and boosted Abdullah's image
THE meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and leaders from Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) was not the only top-level meeting between the Islamic party and Umno.
Several top leaders of PAS and Umno met at a Kuala Lumpur coffeehouse a few days after the shock March 8 general election results to discuss the future of Perak state, which had fallen to the three-party opposition alliance.
The topic of discussion: whether PAS should join the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) federal coalition to form a joint government in Perak, said a person who was present at the meeting.
'This was the first of the unity talks after the elections. This accelerated into the meetings involving Datuk Seri Abdullah,' he told The Straits Times, requesting anonymity.
Among those present were former Perak menteri besar Tajol Rosli, PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, and PAS central committee member Hassan Ali.
But while these leaders agreed over cups of coffee that BN and PAS should jointly form the new Perak government, the idea was killed by PAS leaders in the state who wanted to stick to the tripartite coalition that later became Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
The first post-election meeting between Mr Abdullah and PAS - which has been widely reported - took place a few days after the above meeting.
Fast forward to today and the topic of Malay unity talks have caused panic in PR and wide smiles in BN and Umno.
Mr Abdullah jolted PR leaders when he said last week that he has held three meetings with PAS leaders to discuss the issues of Malay unity and the role of Islam in the country.
These meetings have had three immediate outcomes - the Islamic party is openly split for the first time in years, PR is on the defensive and Mr Abdullah looks good.
The current series of PAS-Umno meetings are significant because the last time their leaders met were in 2001. This was when then-premier Mahathir Mohamad had been severely weakened by the 1999 election results due to voter anger over how he handled the 1998 sacking of his deputy Anwar Ibrahim.
Despite the blaze of publicity, nothing came out of the Malay unity talks then.
But PAS had remain united.
Today, the two most senior PAS leaders are at opposite poles about the unity talks. Party president Hadi Awang supported the meetings, while spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat is bitterly opposed to falling into an 'Umno trap' again.
'PAS must be careful not to fall into the Umno trap for the second time,' said Datuk Nik Aziz, referring to the sacking of PAS from BN in 1977 after a four-year alliance.
Abandoning the PAS practice of not attacking another party leader, Mr Nik Aziz said PAS must not be seen as 'helping the enemy rather than ensuring party stability'. The remarks are widely seen as targeted at Datuk Seri Hadi and Mr Nasharuddin, the two top party chiefs.
Mr Hadi, seen as the leader of the conservative section of the 800,000-strong party, supported the talks with Umno and BN, as the conservative faction is worried about the erosion of Malay rights and the Islamic religion under the opposition PR alliance led by Datuk Seri Anwar, party insiders say.
The issue has also caused anger in Mr Anwar's Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party - the other two partners in PR.
Their officials say privately that although they do not expect PAS to leave the PR alliance, their trust in PAS has been deeply affected.
But some top leaders say that PR and PAS should not overreact to the issue.
'He (Mr Abdullah) is not interested in Malay unity but is doing it only to protect his own position and his struggle in the party,' said PAS vice-president Husam Musa.
After struggling to survive since the general election four months ago, Mr Abdullah's political image right now looks a bit better.
Umno leaders are happy that the opposition, already on the defensive over sodomy allegations against Mr Anwar, must now worry about the stability of PR, said Mr Ahmad Ikmal Ismail, a leader in Umno Youth.
Anwar accused of derailing unity plan
KUALA LUMPUR - UMNO Supreme Council member Mohd Khir Toyo has blamed de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for derailing plans for a joint Umno-PAS government for Selangor after the March 8 election.
In a posting on his blog, Dr Khir said Umno offered PAS (Parti Islam SeMalaysia) the menteri besar post during a dialogue held shortly after the election.
It was one of the three meetings that Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said he had with PAS' top leaders after the March 8 election.
PAS was also offered the posts of deputy menteri besar and four executive councillors if it agreed to form the coalition, reported online news malaysiakini.com.
Dr Khir added he was willing to be left out of the state government line-up if that would encourage PAS to accept the partnership.
'I brought them (PAS) for a muzakarah (dialogue) with the Prime Minister and suggested to Datuk Seri Abdullah that PAS leaders in Selangor be offered those posts,' he added.
He said Umno and PAS could form a synthesis in championing Malay interests in the state, which had fallen into opposition control.
'Unfortunately, the influence of Datuk Seri Anwar in PAS through the party's secretary-general, Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar, blocked the initiative,' said Dr Khir.
'As long as Mr Anwar is important in Pakatan Rakyat, the muzakarah will not succeed.'
He added that Mr Anwar 'does not want to see Malays unite'.
Dr Khir alleged that the former deputy premier was now supported by 'extremist' Chinese and Indians through the Democratic Action Party and the Hindu Rights Action Force.
Reme Ahmad
The Straits Times
Singapore
23/07/08
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