State PKR chief asks Dayak-based parties under BN if they are alarmed at Umno information chief Annuar Musa’s statement on the party being ready to negotiate a pact with PAS.
PETALING JAYA: Sarawak PKR has questioned state Barisan Nasional (BN) components if they are all supportive of Umno raring to have an electoral pact with PAS for the sake of “Malay unity” in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14).
Its chairman Baru Bian said it was interesting that only Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had thus far welcomed the news by saying it would serve to strengthen the ruling coalition.
He asked the other Dayak-based parties whether they were alarmed at the move, and urged them to state their stand on PAS’ agenda to impose hudud (Islamic criminal punishment) in the country.
“Will the other Sarawak BN component parties toe the PBB line and be as equally welcoming of the impending ‘marriage’ of PAS and Umno?” the Ba’ Kelalan state assemblyman said.
“Are they alarmed to read the remark by Umno information chief Annuar Musa that Umno and PAS have the same DNA and goal, which is to champion Islam and the Malays?” he added in a statement today.
On Oct 11, Annuar had said Umno had given its president Najib Razak, who is prime minister, the mandate to negotiate the agreement with PAS.
Annuar was reported as saying that everything looked positive, and that the party was still on track with the idea.
He also said that such a partnership would be supported by many Malays who are concerned about Malay unity.
Karim, who is Sarawak tourism, arts, culture, youth and sports minister, was quoted by Borneo Post as saying today that he saw no issue with Umno combining forces with PAS.
“Anything that can bring strength and unity to BN and Malaysia is very much welcome and if this electoral pact could serve that purpose, then why not?” he was quoted as saying.
“What is important is that the pact must be able to unite Malaysians and not otherwise,” he added.
Baru said PKR had been vehemently against attempts by PAS to turn Malaysia into an Islamic country by tabling a bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) to intensify shariah punishments.
He said this was the case even when PAS was part of the Pakatan Rakyat with PKR and DAP before the opposition coalition was dissolved in June 2015.
“We do not champion any race or religion, but instead uphold fairness and justice and the rights of all citizens in this secular country as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution,” he said.
“Will the other Dayak-based BN parties take the same approach as ours? Or do they now find the PAS hudud agenda acceptable?” he added
Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan was reported to have said that the Islamist party had rejected the pact idea, and would remain independent to work as a third force to Umno and the opposition. -FMT
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