Hugging Najib like wrestlers greeting opponents before match, says Hadi

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has used a wrestling analogy to explain the hug between caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and himself.

“Some say we cannot (hug). Why the need to hug, wear the same clothes?

“Look at wrestlers, they hug and then 'tumbuk balik' (punch each other). That is normal. Can't we even hug?” he said at an event in Perak last night.

Hadi said PAS' principle is to assist in things that are good and oppose those that are wrong.

“We opposed GST, we opposed laws which contradict Islam, we were together on the Palestine issue, we were together on the Rohingya issue, we are together on humanitarian issues,” he added.

PAS, which was once part of the now-defunct opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat comprising DAP and PKR, has been accused of working with Umno and Najib.

The party has also been accused of attempting to frustrate Pakatan Rakyat's successor Pakatan Harapan's electoral chances in the coming general election in favour of Umno.

PAS has manners

Hadi and PAS leaders have denied colluding with Umno. PAS considers its coalition Gagasan Sejahtera as the third force and potential kingmaker.

During a dialogue session with the Chinese community in Terengganu earlier this month, Hadi said it was Najib who initiated the hug and it would be impolite of him not to reciprocate.

“I did not hug him but he hugged me. He hugged me first. We can't push him away. That is our way and we want to show that we (PAS) are not a bad party,” he added.

Furthermore, Hadi explained, PAS wants the Umno people to vote for the Islamist party.

“Umno people should not vote for Umno anymore, vote for us (PAS). If we want to tell Umno people to vote for us, we must act in a good manner, not fight...,” he added.

To another question, Hadi denied that PAS planned to join BN, stressing that his party's aim is to crush the ruling coalition. - Mkini