Hadi warns PAS members against disloyalty after Perlis political crisis

 In an open letter to party members in the state, the party president says some members engaged in actions that handed power to others.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang urged party members to maintain unity, uphold discipline and avoid internal disputes that could weaken the party’s struggle.

PETALING JAYA:

 PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has issued a stern warning to party members in Perlis over disobedience and disloyalty to both the state and central leadership, following complaints of misconduct and internal disputes.

In an open letter addressed to party members in Perlis, Hadi said the central leadership had investigated complaints received from the state after the Islamic party’s electoral victory in 2022.

While there was no credible evidence to substantiate allegations of moral and administrative misconduct, he said investigations found that some members were openly expressing dissatisfaction with party decisions and the state leadership.

“Some individuals presented themselves as most deserving of positions but were not appointed,” he said, describing such behaviour as un-Islamic and contrary to party discipline.

Hadi also criticised unethical lobbying aimed at weakening PAS internally and attempts to topple the Perlis state government, as well as a failure to respect the authority of the party-appointed state commissioner.

“(There was also) a lack of steadfastness in facing external pressure and defending the party’s struggle, leading to actions outside the party framework that contradict PAS’s stance against misconduct and corruption,” he said.

“Ultimately, they ended up supporting acts of betrayal that toppled the PAS government, handing power to others – friends who proved disloyal,” he said in a veiled reference to Bersatu taking over the post of menteri besar.

Hadi added that the Perlis PAS commissioner, appointed from the syura council, had the complete confidence of the central leadership.

He urged members to maintain unity, uphold discipline and avoid internal disputes that could weaken the party’s struggle.

“Conduct self-reflection with fairness. Unity within the movement must be preserved to ensure the continuity of the party’s struggle and prevent enemies from exploiting divisions,” he said.

The Perlis political crisis erupted in late December after eight assemblymen – five from Bersatu and three from PAS – allegedly withdrew support for then-menteri besar Shukri Ramli.

Shukri later resigned, citing health reasons, while PAS terminated the memberships of its three dissenting assemblymen: Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Saad Seman (Chuping).

Bersatu’s Abu Bakar Hamzah was eventually appointed as the new menteri besar.

The crisis also soured relations between PAS and Bersatu, prompting Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation as Perikatan Nasional chairman. The post has remained vacant to this day. - FMT