PAS rubbishes Najib-Hadi pact to capture Selangor

PAS leaders have rubbished a report claiming that party president Abdul Hadi Awang was plotting together with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to capture Selangor.

PAS vice-president and Selangor exco member Iskandar Samad said such a pact would not work.

"It is not possible for a PAS-Umno alliance to capture Selangor.

"A survey has shown that a majority of Selangor residents support the current (state) government," Iskandar told Malaysiakini.

He said as less than 10 percent of Selangor residents are against the state government. Come election time, voters are most likely to elect those who represent the current state government.

Quoting sources, Singapore's Straits Times in a report today said Najib and Hadi have been in “near-daily contact for several months” to work out a pact to capture Selangor.

Iskandar said the report was speculative and did not have any solid proof.

He said the report may have been published to tarnish PAS' image among voters.

Asked if PAS would consider an alliance with PKR, especially in Selangor, Iskandar said he did not know, but trusts that the Selangor PAS leadership would make the best decision.

Meanwhile, PAS ulama information chief Khairuddin Aman Razali rubbished the Straits Times report as a "repetition of accusations made by Pakatan Harapan against PAS".

Khairuddin (photo) said PAS remained committed to fighting both BN and Harapan.

"Islam should be given a chance to win. Selangor should be governed by PAS," he added.

PAS strategist Zuhdi Marzuki said the Singapore newspaper report could not be trusted.

"The Straits Times is not sahih buhari (gospel), they can't be trusted," Zuhdi said.

Selangor, the resource-rich BN stronghold, fell to the opposition in the monumental 2008 general election.

In the 2013 election, the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat, which consisted of PAS as well, retained control of Selangor.

The Islamic party has since severed ties with its former allies, resulting in Pakatan Rakyat being replaced by Pakatan Harapan, which includes PAS' splinter party Amanah.

However, PAS remains part of the Selangor government, on the grounds that the party is continuing the people's mandate.

Hadi has previously explained that PAS has no qualms working with its arch rival Umno on matters related to Islam and Malay unity. -Mkini