PAS accused of betraying Muslim brotherhood by boycotting Bersatu’s Johor polls campaign

 

THE very fact that PAS has ordered all its party machinery not to assist Bersatu in the latter’s July 11 Johor state election campaign operations has threatened to disrupt both harmony and fire power within the opposition faction.

That strangely enough the Islamist party is all willing to extend its assistance to other Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties which include Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People Party (MIPP) is not only seen as childish behaviour to their so-called ‘split as bed partners” but more so as a slap to the Muslim brotherhood.

This directive was conveyed by PAS information chief Fadhli Shaari in a Facebook post yesterday which read, “PAS machinery in areas and constituencies contested by Bersatu in the Johor state polls has been ordered to carry out their duties in constituencies contested by PAS and other PN component parties”.

However, the attitude of PAS towards Bersatu which only showcases their deepening animosity more than anything else, has earned the wrath of detractors who were taken aback as to how the Muslim ummah (solidarity) has been compromised.

Such was the ground feel in a FB post by Malay language daily Sinar Harian to PAS’ latest unfriendly gesture which has belittled its quest to both dignify Islam while calling for Malay  political parties to reconcile.

One presumably Bersatu backer commenter even contrasted PAS’ selfish attitude with an exemplary reaction by Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that “if they need us, we’ll help out because such is our nature”.

“From here I know who’s evil even if one wear a kopiah (skullcap) 24 hours a day,” quipped the commenter.

Another urged Malaysians “to throw out PAS” in the upcoming Johor state election and GE16 (16th General Election). “They’re like turtles if they don’t have power,” he mocked.

One supposedly Madani backer took a pot shot at the opposition faction by wondering how PN is going to administer the country which encompasses both the peninsula and Sabah/Sarawak when they cannot even resolve their differences.

Another recalled as to how in the previous GE15, “PAS was all out bootlicking Bersatu for funding” to oil its party machinery.

“Unfortunately as usual, when Bersatu has fallen into poverty, it ditched Bersatu … PAS really can’t be made an ally … it uses Islam to backstab others.”

Interestingly, a grassroot PAS member claimed that “assistance will still be rendered to all PN coalition members in Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang state polls regardless of the directive from the Islamist party’s headquarters”.

For the record, PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang when commented on his party’s relationship with Bersatu earlier had painted a picture of their internal conflict having been resolved with PAS sticking to its decision to cancel their previously sealed cooperation.

Touching on PAS’ target in the Johor state polls, the eight-term Marang MP explained that his party has set a target of becoming an opposition bloc and as an advisor to the state government.

He went on to defend PAS’ decision to field candidates in 11 state seats as having been made based on a careful assessment of constituencies with high chances of winning, including in the Maharani constituency.

Earlier, PN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said there was no issue with the number of seats contested by PAS in the Johor state polls having dwindled from 15 to 11 because the decision was made based on current considerations and the best strategy to face the election. –  Focus Malaysia