We still want Bersatu in PN, says PAS info chief

 However, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari says Bersatu appears to have adopted a confrontational approach towards the coalition’s current direction.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said if Bersatu continues with an ‘arrogant’ approach, it could lose its place in Malaysia’s political landscape. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari says his party wants Bersatu to remain in Perikatan Nasional (PN), arguing that preserving the coalition’s unity is essential to maintaining the trust of Malay voters.

However, he said it appeared to him as though Bersatu had chosen to oppose PN or adopt a more confrontational approach towards the coalition’s current direction.

“(But) our position is clear. We want Bersatu to remain in PN.

“We want to welcome members who have been expelled. We want to ensure that these issues are handled properly,” he was quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying in an interview.

The Pasir Mas MP warned that if Bersatu continued with what he described as an “arrogant” approach, it could lose its place in the country’s political landscape.

“Even figures as influential as (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad can lose their political influence. I do not believe Bersatu’s fate will necessarily be any better than Pejuang’s,” Fadhli said.

PAS ended its political cooperation with Bersatu on June 8. Bersatu subsequently pledged to go all-out against PAS in the coming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, insisting it would contest under the PN banner.

On Monday, PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar of PAS announced that Parti Wawasan Negara and Pejuang had been admitted into the coalition following a Supreme Council meeting.

He said the meeting proceeded harmoniously and that Bersatu’s position in PN was not discussed.

Wawasan was launched on June 13, with former Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin as president.

Last week, two Bersatu leaders were relieved of their positions in PN: Azmin Ali was removed as the coalition’s deputy secretary-general and Radzi Jidin as its election director.

Bersatu vice-president Ahmad Faizal Azumu yesterday accused Samsuri of pushing through the admission of Wawasan, a rebrand of Parti Cinta Malaysia, despite issues involving the Registrar of Societies.

However, PN election director Sanusi Nor insisted that Wawasan’s admission into the coalition was decided through a majority vote at the party’s Supreme Council meeting.

Door to cooperation with Umno remains open

Asked about speculation that PAS was exploring cooperation with Umno, Fadhli said his party never stopped extending a hand to work together.

“If Umno is willing to cooperate, that door remains open. What matters is that we leave the past behind and focus on what is best for the future.

“Whether we agree on everything or not, efforts to build cooperation have always continued,” he said.

Fadhli’s remarks today mark a shift from his position earlier this month, when he indicated that his party and Bersatu could no longer coexist on the same PN platform. - FMT