PAS asked for positions in state agencies, claims Mahathir

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has claimed that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang requested that representatives of his party be appointed to various state agencies in their meeting on Friday.

"There were some requests," he said at a press conference this morning after launching the National Community Policy in Puchong.

Mahathir did not elaborate on the exact requests made, but likened the process to the involvement of Pakatan Harapan representatives in PAS-controlled Kelantan and Terengganu.

"We (Harapan) don't have any representatives in Kelantan and Terengganu, so we can't be involved.

"They (PAS) are of the view that just as we must have our representatives in certain agencies (in Kelantan and Terengganu), they asked for their representatives to be involved in certain agencies (in Harapan-led) states.

Mahathir, the Harapan chairperson, said this when asked whether the PAS leaders who met him had made any requests during the Friday meeting – in which they also reportedly promised not to support Umno in the upcoming Semenyih by-election.

When questioned further on whether his party Bersatu would be open to any form of cooperation with PAS, Mahathir said: "No, that was not discussed."

Also present with Hadi at the meeting were PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan and Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

The Prime Minister's Office previously told Malaysiakini that Mahathir met Hadi around 9am, and that the meeting lasted for approximately 45 minutes.

Malaysiakini understands that the meeting, their second so far, was requested by the PAS president.

The first was held on June 4 last year at the Perdana Leadership Foundation headquarters in Putrajaya.

During the first meeting, Mahathir had received a delegation of PAS leaders, including Hadi, Samsuri, and PAS adviser Mustafa Ali. - Mkini