Fahmi says a lot of discussions are ongoing on PAS joining unity gov’t

 

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Fahmi Fadzil neither confirmed nor denied rumours that the PAS may join the unity government but he emphasised that there are numerous discussions between the government and opposition, particularly involving state leaders.

However, he did not explicitly state whether these discussions included an exclusive dialogue between the federal government and PAS.

“Indeed, there are a lot of discussions.

“We can see how discussions between the menteri besar from PAS, for example discussing with Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, discussions among Parliament members with the PM,” he told reporters outside the Sungai Bakap by-election nomination centre.

The speculation stems from comments made by both Anwar and PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang. Anwar had previously mentioned that the doors for PAS to join the coalition government were always open, a statement that Hadi dismissed, asserting that PAS had no intention of joining the federal ruling coalition.

Fahmi’s comments were made in the context of the Sungai Bakap by-election, where the ruling coalition’s candidate Joohari Ariffin is contesting against Perikatan Nasional’s Abidin Ismail.

Moreover, Fahmi also addressed allegations that the government was using its machinery for the election campaign, calling such claims “illogical” given that the campaign had just started.

The speculation about PAS joining Anwar’s coalition underscores the fluid nature of political alliances in Malaysia.

While the idea of PAS joining the federal government could signify a major realignment in Malaysian politics, Fahmi’s vague responses and the historical context of PAS’s stance suggest that any such move is still uncertain. – Focus Malaysia