No regrets, says PAS ulama on motion to cut ties with DAP

Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed says PAS never regretted its tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) with DAP. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari,The PAS Dewan Ulama does not regret its motion to cut ties with DAP, even though it led to the dissolution of Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed said they were aware of therepercussions when passing the emergency motion during the ulama wing's congress on June 3. 

The PAS muktamar subsequently adopted the motion without debate, sparking anger from several delegates who wanted it discussed during the congress.

"To me, there is no turning back, there is no U-turn, because all this while we had been patient in the face of everything PKR and DAP did to PAS. We never responded rudely.

"But when we did that during the congress, we knew there would be no U-turn. We had thought it through, and we knew the consequences of our actions," Mahfodz told The Malaysian Insider.

On Tuesday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced PR ceased to exist and cited PAS's motion to end ties with it as one of the reasons for withdrawing from the pact.

On Wednesday, PKR said it agreed PR "no longer functions formally" due to PAS's motion and DAP's "hasty" decision.

Mahfodz said he did not regret working with DAP in the past seven years, despite the harsh words exchanged between the two parties in recent months.

"We lost nothing from the tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation), it benefited us. We even benefited from working with Umno, as it helped us penetrate the Felda community.

"With PR, we were able to control Kelantan. The tahaluf siyasi bore results, Alhamdulillah."

DAP's decision to leave PR was made even as PAS insisted the motion to end ties wasnot finalised, as it had to be endorsed by its Shura Council and newly elected central working committee first.

Despite this, Lim had maintained PAS's decision was final and claimed the party was acting dishonourably for refusing to direct its representatives in the DAP-led Penang government to step down.

During the muktamar, the Dewan Ulama had defended the motion, saying it was in retaliation for DAP's "insults", including its decision to sever ties with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.