Stick with PAS, don’t set up new party, Mat Sabu tells dissidents

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu says today differences of opinions are normal in any organisation, urging members to criticise the leadership but not at the expense of PAS or its coalition partner, Pakata Rakyat. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, September 16, 2014.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today warned members against setting up another Islamic-based party, as talk swirled that the Islamist party was about to break up over differences of opinions among its leadership.

More popularly known as Mat Sabu, the party's no. 2 said differences of opinions were normal in any organisation.

"Do not set up other political parties under the name of Islam if there are any differences of opinions. It's not that we are against it, if you want to set up NGO it's okay, work with Pakatan Rakyat," he said when opening the party's Youth wing muktamar in Kota Tinggi, Johor, today.

His warning comes amid talk that the newly formed PasMa, formed by those with a view of keeping the Islamist party in PR, would eventually be the platform for a new Islamist party if the leadership decided to leave the six-year-old coalition.

Mat Sabu said efforts should be made to keep the party intact as Malaysians no longer considered it as a fringe party but was also looking at its leaders for leadership.

"We have differences of opinion. But we must resolve them and be united to face Umno. We must not split.”

He said members could criticise the leadership but it should not be at the expense of PAS and its coalition partner, PR.

- TMI