No harm PAS being adviser to government, says Nazri

Putrajaya welcomes any party willing to contribute ideas for the benefit of Malaysians as a whole, says Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Aziz.

PETALING JAYA: The government will always encourage ideas or contributions from any party, and even work with them, as long as they are in line with building Malaysia to become a better nation.

Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Aziz was responding to a statement made by PAS research director Zuhdi Marzuki at the party’s Munaqasyah Rakyat in Shah Alam on Saturday.

Zuhdi had claimed that PAS had the capability to be an adviser to the government after the 14th general election (GE14).

“The government has always welcomed this (contribution of ideas) as long as it is for the people.

“Advisers can advise on issues they deem important. The government will later take into consideration whether the ideas can be implemented or otherwise,” said Nazri, who is also an Umno Supreme Council member.

At its last muktamar , PAS had set a target to take control of four states – Pahang, Terengganu, Selangor and Kedah – while maintaining its presence in Kelantan.

PAS, which was part of the now-defunct opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat in helping to deny Barisan Nasional a two-third majority in the last general election (GE13) had subsequently been seen to be Umno-friendly.

This was after Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had appeared together in a solidarity event to support Myanmar’s Rohingya-Muslim population, calling for greater cooperation on Islamic issues.

The passage of Hadi’s Private Member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) with the government allowing its tabling was also seen as an act of cooperation between the two once-rival parties. -FMT