PAS today claimed that it was DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang who offered the Islamist party to join the coalition government.
In a statement, PAS information chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin claimed that Lim had made the offer because the ruling coalition is in a shaky position as the Malays no longer support Umno.
He also lambasted Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saying that the deputy prime minister did not do his homework when he denied such an offer was ever made to PAS.
“The statement by Zahid telling PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang ‘jangan perasan’ (do not be full of himself) shows that he did not do his homework before commenting on this issue.
“It was DAP’s Lim Kit Siang who made the overture inviting PAS to join the government because the administration is in a critical position as Umno no longer commands the support of the Malays,” Khairil (above) said.
Last Saturday, Hadi claimed that “certain individuals” had reached out to him to collaborate with the government.
The Marang MP, who did not divulge details, alleged that the offer would only strengthen the government’s position by adding more seats to it but would not benefit PAS in any way.
Following this, Zahid asked Hadi to “stop daydreaming” by making such claims.
On this, Khairil blasted Zahid by saying that the Umno leader should stop lying.
“He has to stop lying to Umno members and the rakyat. The biggest lie he ever told was the propaganda that (Umno) will never work with DAP and Anwar, but in the end, they embraced the party that Umno had hated for the longest time.”
Khairil’s statement did not specifically mention if it was Lim who had approached PAS, or if he was referring to a statement issued by the latter two weeks ago proposing for the government to cooperate with PAS ahead of the upcoming state elections.
Not Kit Siang, but who?
However, Malaysiakini has confirmed with PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man that it was not Lim who met with the PAS leadership recently.
“It was not him (Lim). I don’t want to say who.
“I can just confirm that there were some individuals who came to meet with PAS leaders,” he said when asked to confirm if it was Lim who met the party recently with the offer to join the government.
Tuan Ibrahim reportedly told Berita Harian yesterday that he too had been contacted by certain quarters for the same purpose.
“Representatives of the (coalition) government met me to make the offer.
“However, I stressed that I would remain steadfast with Perikatan Nasional (PN) as promised during campaigning, and said that we will not lie to the voters,” he reportedly said.
Earlier today, Anwar had also denied making an offer to PAS to join the coalition government.
“I don’t know who (approached Hadi). Maybe it was some division leaders who extended the invitation (to collaborate), I don’t know.
“What I know, the proposal to collaborate was neither raised nor discussed by the top leadership level in the Pakatan Harapan-BN government,” the prime minister said, as quoted by Utusan Malaysia. - Mkini
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