PAS SEVERS TIES WITH PKR, DAP

A MOTION to end ties with once-staunch ally PKR is passed at the Islamist party’s muktamar. Delegates also want Pas to field candidates in all PKR-contested seats in the upcoming general election. They are equally strident against DAP, with one delegate l

PAS delegates passed a motion to sever ties with PKR at the party’s 63rd muktamar here yesterday, delivering a sound message they are ready to face the 14th General Election as the country’s third political bloc.

The delegates had also passed another motion calling for the party to field its candidates in all seats contested by PKR.

The motion to end the tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) with PKR was tabled by a delegate from the Ulama wing, Zulkifli Ismail, and was debated and seconded by Pas Pasir Mas delegate Ahmad Fadzli Shaari.

Pas had set “Prosper with Islam” as its theme ahead of the elections and asserted it was ready to face the polls on its own under its new banner, Gagasan Sejahtera.

In his fiery speech, Zulkifli said the cooperation should be severed as PKR was not a trusted ally and cited PKR’s move to support Parti Amanah Negara (PAN), which contested against Pas in the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections, as a clear indicator.

“PKR had failed to provide significant support to Pas’s effort to table the bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction), or Act 355, and seems to be siding with DAP, which has strongly objected to the bill,” he said.

The motion to field candidates in all PKR seats was moved by Pas Kota Raja and Kuala Terengganu on the grounds that PKR was part of the Pakatan Harapan pact.

The motion was one of eight that were approved by the delegates without being debated.

The fiery one-day debate was concluded when the delegates unanimously approved the motion to sever ties with PKR, reinforcing an earlier similar motion approved by the party’s Ulama, Muslimat and Youth wings.

Pas Youth representative Muhammad Ibrahim, in his speech while moving the motion, called on the government to form an interracial committee to address issues pertaining to racial and religious sensitivities.

He called for Pas leadership to condemn DAP, PAN, MIC, MCA, Gerakan and others who have insulted Islam.

The Pas central delegates are expecting the party leadership, in particular, president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, to respond during his winding-up speech today. Page 1 pic: Delegates reacting at the debate of the president’s keynote speech in Kota Sarang Semut yesterday.