Umno’s Puad questions if PAS is sincere about unity, MN

 

Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said he was not surprised by PAS’ spiritual adviser Hashim Jasin’s remarks that his party had derailed efforts to unite the ummah.

PETALING JAYA: An Umno leader appears to have questioned whether PAS is sincere about political unity and the Muafakat Nasional pact between the two parties.

Puad Zarkashi, an Umno Supreme Council member, said that if PAS was serious about the pact, the Islamic party would not have gone behind Umno’s back to join Perikatan Nasional.

Speaking to FMT, Puad said he was not surprised by remarks reportedly made by the PAS spiritual adviser, Hashim Jasin, that Umno had derailed efforts to unite the ummah.

Hashim, in a report by Utusan Malaysia, had said Umno’s decision to withdraw support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had crushed efforts to unite the Islamic community.

Hashim Jasin.

He also said Umno’s decision had indirectly affected ties between the two parties in Muafakat Nasional.

Puad said: “There is no need to blame Umno. If PAS was serious, they should not have gone behind Umno’s back to join PN formally.

He said PAS knew that Bersatu is Umno’s rival, and that many Bersatu leaders and MPs had switched sides from Umno.

“They (Bersatu) worked to destroy Umno, so what unity does PAS want to pursue?”

Puad added that if PAS was serious about unity, the party should invite Amanah to join PN and MN or be part of the federal government.

“Would they want that? I am sure PAS will not agree, because Amanah is a rival. PAS surely wouldn’t want to share their ‘husband’. PAS would surely want to claim back the seats which Amanah won. They see those as PAS seats.”

He also said Umno’s decision to withdraw its support for Muhyiddin was justified.

Puad said Hashim should help Muhyiddin respond to the seven reasons that Umno had stated for its decision to withdraw its support, such as the government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis and the economy.

“Unless PAS does not think the government has failed. For example, can Hashim explain the benefits of declaring an Emergency for seven months for the people and in reducing the spread of Covid-19?”

He said PAS MPs did not even support Umno’s demand for an automatic loan moratorium and a one-off RM10,000 Employees’ Provident Fund withdrawal.

“What are the priorities for PAS? The people or political survival?”

Puad said Umno is committed to upholding MN and this was a priority especially since Umno and PAS were the two largest Malay parties. - FMT