COLD SHOULDER FOR RECALCITRANT HADI: Top DAP, PKR leaders to skip PAS muktamar

Amid strained ties over the Selangor crisis and intense speculation that Pakatan Rakyat is on the brink of collapse, top leaders of PKR and DAP are expected to skip the PAS muktamar in Johor tomorrow.

Sources from PKR and DAP told Malaysiakini that the two parties would be represented by either the lower echelons or state leaders instead.

According to PKR sources, party vice-presidents Tian Chua and Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin are likely to represent the party while DAP insiders said only leaders from Johor would be there.

In previous years, the muktamar witnessed the presence of top leaders from PKR such as Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and DAP's Lim Kit Siang.

Their absence tomorrow is bound to fuel speculation that the fissure between PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Pakatan leaders has widened to an unbridgeable point.

After simmering for several months, the tension boiled over when Hadi openly rejected Wan Azizah to be the next menteri besar, casting aspersion on her capability of spearheading the state.

Hadi had also been reprimanded by Lim for failing to work within the spirit of the coalition in the MB saga.

The PAS president’s stand, endorsed by the syura council, has also caused an internal rift, with some quarters calling on Hadi to resign.

Last month, a PAS-linked NGO Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera (PasMa) was formed and is being touted as the possible replacement to PAS in Pakatan.

On Monday, PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, who is on the same page with PKR and DAP, ruffled feathers when he told the party clerics to reform themselves.

At the PAS Youth muktamar this morning, a delegate also lambasted Anwar, claiming that he failed to seek consensus from Pakatan partners for his plans.

Erdogan faction won't boycott Hadi's speech

Meanwhile, the speculation that the Erdogan faction would boycott the president's speech tomorrow has been dismissed by the faction’s leaders.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a PAS central committee member, aligned to the Erdogan faction, said they would not do the "deplorable act" of walking out during Hadi's speech as was done by members aligned to the ulamas during Mohammad Sabu's speech yesterday.

"It would not be done by us. Furthermore, the speech would be seen by the central committee members tonight before it is presented by Hadi.

"From what we know, the speech draft does not seem to have anything controversial to it, it has more to do with 'Teruskan Beristiqamah' (be steadfast) as is the tagline for this muktamar," he told Malaysiakini. -M'kini