Banning DAP can endanger PAS too, says Anwar

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim says calling for a ban on a political party is ‘dangerous’.

KAJANG: PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has accused PAS of practising “old politics” for calling for a ban on DAP, saying it could backfire on the Islamist party.

Anwar said calling for a ban on a political party as a form of retaliation was dangerous.

“It could be dangerous even for PAS,” he said after officiating a seminar titled “Building a Malaysian Nation” here today. “So I think there shouldn’t be a ban.”

Yesterday, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man urged the government to ban DAP, a component party of the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH), for three reasons, including its links with the controversial comic book “Belt & Road Initiative for Win Winism”.

Tuan Ibrahim said there had been at least three occasions when DAP’s actions had conflicted with the elements of nation-building and the federal constitution.

DAP and PAS used to be in the same coalition under Pakatan Rakyat but they have been at each other’s throats since their split before the 14th general election.

Tuan Ibrahim also brought up an incident in which Kubang Kerian MP Steven Sim Chee Keong was alleged to be attempting to “Christianise” the nation but Sim denied the allegation.

The third reason, he said, was the alleged link between two DAP assemblymen to the Liberal Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The assemblymen are among 12 individuals detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) for their alleged involvement with the now-defunct Sri Lankan movement.

Separately, on the issue of former Umno leader Salleh Said Keruak wanting to join PKR, Anwar said the party had heard “opinions from all sides”.

“We have not fully discussed it yet but we have been gathering opinions from various sides in all states,” he said, adding that some were in agreement with Salleh joining.

Salleh had applied online to join PKR in August, and there have been rumours that Anwar will induct him into the party at a Sabah PKR convention on Monday.

Salleh’s application, with “approved” status along with a membership ID number, went viral on Oct 5.

In December last year, Anwar had issued a statement saying PKR was reluctant to open its doors to former Umno members as it wanted to maintain its principles for the agenda of reform. - FMT