No problem with Christmas meet, says Hadi and Anwar

Hadi asked the media to stop pressuring PAS on the issue. — Picture by Choo Choy May

SHAH ALAM, Jan 10 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had resolved the misunderstanding surrounding the Christmas Eve meeting between PAS and Umno leaders as coalition leaders attempted to repair the fallout from the “unity talks.”

Anwar had met earlier with Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in an attempt to clear the air over reports that PAS was seeking to revive unity talks with Umno.

“There is no need to further prolong the issue and we have been informed of the meet. We do not see any problems,” Anwar told reporters at a press conference after attending rally of more than 8,000 PAS supporters at Stadium Malawati here last night.

Top of the agenda for the meeting between Opposition Leader Anwar and the PAS president was the Christmas Eve audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which was attended by Hadi, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and Umno’s top two leaders.

The dinner was seen as another attempt to revive the talks on political co-operation with Umno in the name of Malay/Muslim unity, although both Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Nik Aziz have refused to comment on the meeting.

Hadi also asked the media to stop pressuring PAS on the issue.

“We have informed Pakatan Rakyat leaders and have made an open statement. There is no need to investigate like the police,” he said.

The question of political co-operation with Umno became a major campaign issue in the 2009 PAS election after it was revealed that its leaders, including Nasharuddin and Selangor chief Datuk Hasan Ali, met then-Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo after Election 2008 to explore the possibility of forming a unity government.

Leaders aligned to Nik Aziz then accused Nasharuddin of conspiring to take PAS out of PR, but the deputy president successfully defended his post in a three-cornered fight with Mohamad Sabu and Kelantan executive councillor Datuk Husam Musa.

Sources familiar with the latest move to bring PAS into the BN government revealed that both Hadi and Nasharuddin would be given prominent roles in Putrajaya if the party decides to abandon PR, but Nik Aziz continues to be the major obstacle in bringing the party closer to the ruling coalition.

PAS holds 23 parliamentary seats within the PR coalition and controls two states, Kelantan and Kedah. Its presence in the other two PR-ruled states, Penang and Selangor, is also crucial to maintain PR’s majority and Malay support. - Malaysian Insider