Who is more insincere? PAS and Umno lock horns

 

Former allies turned foes PAS and Umno are locking horns in a contest to determine which of them is more insincere.

This is after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi accused PAS of being ”insincere” for wanting to revive the cooperation between the parties via Muafakat Nasional.

Responding to PAS spiritual adviser Hashim Jasin’s confidence that ties can be re-established, Zahid said: “We doubt their sincerity in making this offer as it was them, not Umno, who withdrew from Muafakat.”

He added that PAS had violated their agreement, which “felt like a betrayal”.

However, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari asked if it was sincere of Zahid to hold clandestine negotiations with Pakatan Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim when Umno was still part of the Perikatan Nasional government.

“Was it sincere of the Umno president who declared (in the Umno general assembly) never to support Anwar or DAP but then broke his promise after the (last) general election although there were other options (as opposed to working with Anwar) available?” he said on Facebook.

According to Fadhli (above, left), PAS has never abandoned its aspiration of uniting the Muslims.

“I wish to state that the spiritual leader did not make a new offer (for political cooperation). It has always been PAS’ aim to revive and defend the unity of the ummah (Muslims).

“Whether this is done under the name of Muafakat or some other name is a secondary issue,” he added.

Harapan-BN relationship

On a sarcastic note, Fadhli said at present, Harapan and BN needed each other.

“Without BN, Harapan cannot be the government and without Harapan, the Umno president would not feel safe,” he added.

Although he did not elaborate, it is believed that the PAS leader was referring to the corruption charges against Zahid.

Last September, Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) from all 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering in relation to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

PAS election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, on Dec 8, said that Muafakat would still be alive if Umno was not helmed by Zahid, whom he accused of derailing the pact formed in the aftermath of the 2018 general election.

He claimed that Zahid did not want to work with Bersatu or others despite the Muafakat charter stating that it is for all Muslims including bumiputera from Sabah and Sarawak. - Mkini