Divorce Pakatan, Umno tells PAS

PAS should leave the Penang state government as it is treated like a stepchild, says Penang Umno chairman Zainal Abidin Osman.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Umno called on PAS today to leave Pakatan Rakyat’s state government to salvage its pride.

Penang Umno chairman Zainal Abidin Osman said PAS should not hesitate to do so if it felt the party was being treated like a “stepchild” in the Pakatan political set-up by the DAP and PKR.

“I urge PAS to review its position in Pakatan. If the marriage of convenience is not working, just get a divorce and come out from Pakatan,” he told newsmen in Umno state office here today.

He indicated that Penang Umno was ever willing to embrace and cooperate with PAS for the benefit of the people, especially Malays, if the Islamist party dared to sever its ties with Pakatan.

He said Umno had developed unofficial ties with PAS in addressing issues pertaining to Malays and Islam for past few years in Penang.

He was referring to grouses raised by PAS leadership yesterday against the Pakatan leadership and its state government under Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Penang PAS has threatened to pull out from the DAP-led Pakatan government and review its position in the coalition if the party continued to be undermined by its partners.

State PAS deputy commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said the party wanted more space within Pakatan to speak out and make decisions on party appointments to the Penang Islamic Religious Council (Maipp), local government and village development and security councils (JKKK).

He also warned the state government and Pakatan state council not to interfere in the administration of the Maipp headed by state PAS commissioner and Permatang Pauh assemblyman Mohd Salleh Man.

Zainal said Penang Umno sympathised with PAS over their grouses against Pakatan.

He said Umno leaders and members had heard PAS grassroots moaning of being undermined, sidelined and isolated by Pakatan partners for past few years.

He said PAS leaders and members had always lamented of being given a raw deal in the state government even though the party had worked hard for Pakatan election victories in the state.

He said the PAS grassroots were upset that appointments to JKKKs were monopolised by DAP and PKR while their party was given only the leftovers.

“PAS members always felt being treated as a third-class partner in Penang Pakatan.
“They felt their contributions were not appreciated by DAP and PKR.

“It was like a volcano waiting to erupt and finally it did yesterday,” he said.

He said among PAS’ main grievances were interference by the DAP state government into Islamic affairs, its failure to appoint Mohd Salleh as an executive councillor and its insistence to hold qariah polls.

“The DAP government did not appoint a PAS exco member when the party knows more about Malay and Islamic issues,” said Zainal.

He added that PAS was also unhappy with the qariah polls as it would pit Muslims in a same neighbourhood against each other.

He pointed out that qariah polls in 10 mosques were nullified by the state government, in which “the victors were replaced by the losers.”

He disclosed that a meeting held between him, Mohd Salleh and Penang governor Abdul Rahman Abbas two months ago decided to compel the state government to allow the victors to assume their legitimate positions in the qariahs.

However, he said the decision could not be implemented due to interference.

He said the PAS grassroots were also upset with Lim’s support for use of the term “Allah” in the Bible.

He said PAS felt aggrieved that the party had no say in the state administration, especially on issuances of licences for un-Islamic activities.

“PAS cannot go on being a puppet. It should make a firm decision if its demands were not met by Pakatan. It should pull out from Pakatan,” said Zainal.

Meanwhile, Mohd Salleh denied that the DAP had interfered into the Islamic affairs in the state.

Referring to a report in an English daily today, he said Muhammad Fauzi did not mention any particular party in his statement.

“NST’s report was more of a media manipulation to break up the strong relationship among Pakatan partners,” said the PAS leader in a short statement here today.

In the a separated press conference in Komtar, Lim Guan Eng revealed that Deputy Chief Minister (I) Mohd Rashid Hasnor and Abdul Malik Abul Kassim from PKR, and Mohd Salleh had already met to resolve the pressing issues.

Lim, who is also the state Pakatan council chairman, also said both parties had agreed to resolve the matter internally and would not make any more media statements.

He said misunderstanding among political partners were common and as a democratic government, his administration would allow space for parties to voice their discontent.

He added that certain media had manipulated PAS statement yesterday, thus it would be better to resolve the matter behind closed doors.