Time for 'Asalkan bukan PAS', says ABU founder Haris Ibrahim

 

Social activist Haris Ibrahim, best known as the force behind the Asalkan Bukan Umno (Anything But Umno) movement, believes that the time has come for Malaysians to recognise the divisive and dangerous nature of PAS' ideology.

“Asalkan bukan PAS,” he said when asked about Pakatan Harapan conducting negotiations with Umno-led BN following the 15th general election.

“It looks like Harapan has to turn to Umno/BN to avoid a PAS-dominated government, which is what would happen if PN was allowed to take the lead in forming the new administration.

“I have touched on two elements regarding the divisive politics of the country. One is ethnicity. The other is religion and PAS represents the most dangerous of the latter,” he said.

Pointing to PAS’ rule of Kelantan, he said it would be disastrous if they were able to have a strong grip on the country’s future.

“Show me a nation under Talibanism that is progressive. There is none. 

“They will dumb down the population they govern and we cannot afford this,” said Haris, pointing also to a stagnant economy, child marriages, and moral policing. 

The scramble to form a government comes after Saturday’s election ended with a hung Parliament.

Harapan has 82 seats, while BN has 30. Both sides met at the Seri Pacific Hotel today in order to cobble together an agreement to work together.

Harapan and BN have already joined forces to resolve Perak’s hung assembly with BN’s Saarani Mohamad keeping the menteri besar post, while a BN-Harapan government in Pahang is also in the works.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has extended a deadline for prime minister candidates to prove they have a majority by 24 hours to 2pm Tuesday.

Haris emphasised that Malaysia was a multi-religious, multi-ethnic nation, and that to allow any particular group to determine the future of the whole country based on a conservative interpretation of religion was a recipe for disaster.

Haris said he was encouraged that BN support had been reduced.

“Look at the results. BN only got 30 seats. In that sense, the ABU campaigns over the years finally bore fruit. Now we will go into Asalkan Bukan PAS mode,” he said.

Haris added it was ironic that Umno was the party that “fixed” the seats so that the rural vote was disproportionally stronger than it should be but suddenly it was PAS that was benefitting.

Haris also lauded PKR president Anwar Ibrahim for saying that the executive would not interfere in court cases, a fear of Harapan supporters who think that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi might try to link his current corruption trial to supporting a new government.

“It will not. Any hint of it, and I will be the first protestor in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya,” he said. - Mkini