Is Pas With Perikatan Or Muafakat Salahuddin Asks Hadi

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(feedly.com) – PAS should state clearly whether its allegiance lies with Perikatan Nasional or Muafakat Nasional, says Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.
“Actually, who is PAS with? Muafakat Nasional or Perikatan? They have said they support Perikatan because they are in the Cabinet, but it seems as though there are signals to be with Muafakat Nasional.
“So, just make clear wherever you want to go, ” Salahuddin told a press conference in Parliament on Monday (Aug 3).
Salahuddin was responding to a report in a Malay daily quoting PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang as saying that if the Islamist party wins big in GE15, it would not abandon Umno nor Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
Hadi’s remarks came as tensions between Umno and Bersatu are high, with party leaders and grassroots verbally sparring in recent days over the issue of seat allocations in the upcoming Sabah state elections.
Sabah Bersatu chairman Hajiji Mohd Noor came under fire after he declared that the party would be contesting in 45 out of 73 state seats.
Salahuddin said it would be Muafakat Nasional’s responsibility to ensure straight fights in the coming Sabah polls.
“The focus here is to see whether Perikatan has the majority following a few incidents, such as Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s conviction.
“So, it really depends if they can ensure straight fights (in the coming state polls).”
Last week, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party would not support Perikatan should it officially register with the Registrar of Societies, as it would focus on strengthening the Muafakat Nasional coalition instead.
Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman also said that Bersatu has been invited to join Muafakat Nasional, adding that Bersatu is expected to sign a charter of cooperation very soon.
Talk of dissolving Parliament was rife following Najib’s conviction in the SRC International trial, as it would leave Perikatan with a razor thin majority of 112 in the 222-seat Parliament if the Pekan MP loses his seat.
However, speculation of a snap general election was toned down after it was made clear that Najib’s status as an MP still stands until he exhausts all legal avenues to appeal his conviction.
 

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