‘Desperate Umno singing old tune’

The bashing PAS received at the Umno general assembly showed how desperate Umno is, say PAS leaders.

PETALING JAYA: PAS leaders hit out at Umno for its PAS-bashing session at the Umno general assembly which ended today, saying the ruling party is playing an “old tune”.

They said the attack on the Islamist party indicated that Umno feels threatened by the opposition.

PAS vice-president and Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub said that the allegations hurled at PAS have had no effect.

During the assembly, many Umno delegates have attacked PAS for being “unIslamic” and a “commercial” party obsessed with taking power at Putrajaya.

“Umno is just singing an old tune. I’m not ‘excited’ at all about the attacks made by Umno,” said Salahuddin.

“I think PAS has reached a level where it has become a true rival to Umno because these attacks show that the ruling party feels threatened by PAS,” he said.

“These attacks also indicate that Umno is desparate as it feels that Pakatan Rakyat can replace the ruling party,” he said.

PAS Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad said the diatribe launched against PAS was made to garner the support of the Malays.

“All the statements were made to threaten the Malays. Basically, Umno wants to emphasise that only the ruling party can protect the Malays and not Pakatan.

“The PAS-bashing just goes to show how desparate Umno is to the extent that it is playing on the religious sentiments of the Malays [to win support],” Dzulkefly said.

“Umno says it has been championing Islam, but if it really does things in the name of Islam, how does it explain scandals such as the NFC [National Feedlot Corporation] and other cases of corrupt practices involving its leaders?”

Dzulkefly said Umno has also failed to address the issue of inequality.

“I challenge the prime minister to address the issue of equal redistribution of income and wealth. As long as he does not solve this problem, this matter will remain.”

He drew a comparison between the Umno assembly and the PAS muktamar (national conference), saying that “although PAS made some blunders, at least we have put forward [constructive] proposals about the economy, political institutions, education and morality.

“Umno, on the other hand, creates noise. Frankly, I have not seen anything substantive emerging from the Umno assembly.”

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu took a swipe at Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for talking about the concept of wasatiyyah (modesty).

“With his wife allegedly owning a ring costing millions, and with their lavish lifestyle, does that show wasatiyyah?”

He also said that Najib should be willing to debate with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, and not run away.

He added the PAS-bashing will not put a dent to the opposition flank..