DISGUSTED WITH HIS UNRELIABILITY! DAP, PKR sceptical over Hadi’s speech to reject Umno

After being at odds with his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) allies over the Selangor menteri besar candidacy, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's reconciliatory tone in his speech at his party assembly has been received with scepticism by some PKR and DAP leaders.

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, while confident that PAS will not leave PR or break up the pact, insisted that the process of consensus has to be upheld.

"The effectiveness of Pakatan as a political force depends on whether we nurture the consensus culture in Pakatan which we had put in place for the past six years.

"We have to go back to the foundation of cooperation in Pakatan, which is respecting each other and respecting the collective decision made," he said.

In his policy speech at PAS’s 60th assembly yesterday, Hadi said his Islamist party would continue its alliance with PR despite recent hiccups in their relations over the Selangor MB crisis and PAS's insistence in implementing hudud.

At the same time, he struck a note of independence in his speech, insisting that PAS would stick to its own principles and identity instead of blindly aping the agenda of other parties.

Hadi and a faction of the party’s influential Muslim scholars had taken positions that put PAS in disagreement with PKR and DAP on the MB candidacy.

The party’s elected central executive committee, however, has stood with its allies in choosing PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the state’s top post.

The Selangor palace sent out invitations yesterday for a ceremony next Tuesday to appoint the new menteri besar although it is still not known who will replace incumbent Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

In refuting claims that PR will break up over the crisis, Hadi stressed that PAS had never betrayed its friends and that the party wanted its partners in PR to do the same.

"We are confident,” Hadi replied when asked whether ties between the three would return to normal.

However, Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua was more harsh in his assessment, saying bluntly that there is no point being in an alliance if a partner is unwilling to respect and accept the consensus of the majority.

"If they can't even agree to the president of a coalition party being a minister in a state where they have the prerogative, then what's the point of being part of the coalition?

"Is it fair for one to have his cake and eat it too at others’ expense?" he said in a Whatsapp text message.

However, one PR leader felt Hadi's appeasing speech was because the president expects Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad to be appointed the new MB on Tuesday to replace Khalid, who was sacked from PKR for defying party orders to step down to make way for Dr Wan Azizah.

"The underlying message of his speech is Iskandar is part of Pakatan as well, so the question of PAS leaving Pakatan does not arise.

"He is also hoping PKR and DAP will accept Iskandar's appointment," said the PR leader.

Earlier this month, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali had confirmed that Hadi had had sent three names, two from PKR and one from PAS, as candidates for the menteri besar’s post.

The PAS assemblyman was believed to be Iskandar while the PKR names are Dr Idris Ahmad (Ijok) and Dr Yaakub Sapari (Kota Anggerik).

PKR and DAP had insisted that Dr Wan Azizah is the only nominee for the post, earning them a royal reprimand from Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who was disappointed with both parties for failing to heed the ruler's request to submit more than two names for the menteri besar’s‎ position. –TMI