WHAT SAY YOU PAS! Pakatan ties insincere - Nasha

'DISRESPECTFUL'- DAP openly challenging Pas policies, says ex-Pas man

KUALA LUMPUR: THE cooperation between Pas, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has developed into an insincere alliance, said former Pas deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa yesterday.

He said the initial agreement mooted by Pas for each of them to honour the other's differing policies had not been respected.

Explaining the cooperation which was dubbed by Pas as 'tahaluf siyasi' (political cooperation), Nasharudin said it had been openly challenged, especially by DAP, in the wake of several rows between the two parties.

"The 'tahaluf siyasi' agreed upon by Pas and Pakatan Rakyat members had recently been tarnished by DAP challenging the basics and policies of Pas struggles.

"Such an attitude disrespects the unity spirit and they are not sincere in cooperating with Pas," Nasharudin said from his hospital bed, where he is undergoing physiotherapy after sustaining a slipped disc.

He was answering a question by a site visitor 'bachok', who had asked whether DAP was sincere in cooperating with Pas.

Nasharuddin was interviewed during a live online session, coordinated by the Berita Harian Online team, yesterday.

To another question by 'Pas' on the possibility of Pas having gone astray from its original goals by working with DAP and PKR, Nasharudin said Pas was giving in to demands of the political landscape.

"Several stands and policies of Pas were forced to be amended to suit those demands, which led to a perception that the party had sidetracked from its original goals."

Nasharudin also corrected the perception that he had begun accompanying Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak for visits overseas only after his failure to defend his seat as Pas deputy president.

Answering a query on the matter by 'R. Veera' from Sungai Petani, Kedah, he said he had participated in visits as a member of parliament, representing the country in a number of international conferences and programmes.

"I have also been abroad with ministers, the arliament speaker and other MPs and coincidentally, I was with the prime minister (in Saudi Arabia and Gaza) recently."

To another question by visitor 'guest', Nasharudin said DAP had only wanted to fish for votes from Christians when its secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng, started the controversy surrounding the use of the word "Allah" among non-Muslims.

Lim, in his Christmas message, demanded the Barisan Nasional-led Federal Government allow the use of the word "Allah" in Malay-language bibles.

Nasharudin also ticked off DAP chairman Karpal Singh, who was the most vocal on the issue.

"Karpal Singh himself is not a Christian. So why is there a need for him to voice his opinions in this issue, since he himself is not from the same (Christian) faith?"

- New Straits Times