PAS to discuss appointment of speaker, avoid state election

The party says it is agreeable to collaborations if it will benefit the people.

Kedah PAS commissioner Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurazi says the party will meet with Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to try and resolve the issue. (Facebook pic)

ALOR SETAR: Kedah PAS will hold discussions will all parties including Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) to resolve the issue of the state assembly speaker in order to avoid a state election.

Its commissioner Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurazi said PAS would also meet with Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to discuss a collaboration.

“PAS is using the discussion approach based on the concept of cooperation in order to avoid a state election, even though there are some who accuse PAS of being greedy and controlling,” he said in a statement today.

However, he added, PAS was prepared to face a state election if PH felt that was the last resort to settle the issue.

Fakhruddin said PAS was agreeable to collaborations if it would benefit the people, but stood firm against anything which would bring negative effects on the people, country and religion.

“PAS regrets that there are Kedah PH leaders who hurl baseless accusations over the proposal of joint state government offered by PAS,” he said.

He said PAS did not think it was wrong to accept a coalition offer from BN state assemblymen to act as a check-and-balance to the PH-led state government.

The issue of the speaker arose when PH obtained 18 state seats during the 14th general election while PAS had 15 and BN won three.

It was reported earlier that Mukhriz had met with PAS and BN to resolve the issue before the state assembly meets early next month. - FMT