PAS, not Bersatu, should leave PN, says analyst

 Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri says the Islamic party should disassociate itself from Bersatu’s internal conflict.

Analyst Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said PAS should also leave PN to drive home the point that upholding its principles is more important than obtaining power.

PETALING JAYA:

An analyst has suggested that PAS quit Perikatan Nasional (PN) to disassociate itself from Bersatu’s internal conflict and focus on becoming a dominant party.

Global Asia Consulting’s Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said the Islamic party should also leave the opposition coalition to drive home the point that upholding its principles is more important than obtaining power.

He said PAS could also start over and would be free to form political alliances once it exits PN.

“They (PAS) don’t need to wait for a ‘crumbling’ Bersatu. PAS can leave PN in a dignified manner and join forces with other parties and a more stable bloc,” he told FMT, adding that PN would be weakened if PAS left the coalition.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri.

“PN would be immediately crippled as Bersatu has lost all credibility and will sink without support from PAS.”

Zaharuddin was commenting on a call by Tengku Fakhruddin Fauzi of PAS for Bersatu to leave PN over its recent expulsions and suspensions of party members.

Tengku Fakhruddin later said that his remarks were his personal view and did not represent PAS.

Bersatu began carrying out a series of expulsions and suspensions on May 8, citing breaches of the party constitution, ethics, and conduct. The internal tensions also saw Hamzah Zainudin, the then deputy president, sacked from the party.

Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan meanwhile brushed off Tengku Fakhruddin’s remark, describing it as a jab at Bersatu that should not be taken seriously.

Azmi Hassan.

He also said that the suggestion made little sense.

“To suggest that Bersatu leave PN because it sacked its members is baseless as the two are not connected. It would have made sense for him to ask Bersatu to leave if the party was weakening PN.”

He added that the sacking or suspension of members was an internal matter, not a main factor in determining the standing of a party in a coalition.

Azmi said it would have been better for Tengku Fakhruddin to urge PAS to leave PN on the grounds that the coalition had been weakened by Bersatu’s internal strife. - FMT