Cooperation over but some stay as friends at state level
KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu PKR chairman Azan Ismail said the move by Pas to sever tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) with the party was expected.
The Bandar assemblyman said the Islamic party’s decision had revealed that its goal was to split the opposition pact instead of uniting to challenge Barisan Nasional in the next general election.
Azan said there was no need to shed tears over the incident, adding that there had not been any good cooperation between Pas and other opposition parties in the past, particularly in Terengganu.
On the reasons given by Pas in severing ties with PKR, Azan said it was absurd for Pas to allege that PKR was working with other opposition parties to topple the Kelantan government, and attack Pas in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.
In Ipoh, a gag order was issued to refrain PKR leaders here from commenting on the issue.
PKR Youth Brigade vice-president Tan Kar Hing said an official statement would be made by state PKR chairman Prof Dr Mohd Nur Manuty.
In Shah Alam, newly appointed Selangor Pas Commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi said it respected the decision by the party’s Syura Council.
“As such, Selangor Pas will no longer be involved in any cooperation and political meetings with PKR and instead, will enhance cooperation in the Gagasan Sejahtera (political coalition comprising Pas and Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia), specifically to face the upcoming general election.”
However, he said, it would remain as a component member of the Selangor government until the end of the term.
In Kangar, Perlis Pas Commissioner Mohd Shukri Ramli said although the p olitical cooperation between Pas and PKR was severed, the relationship between the members of the two parties remained intact.
The Sanglang assemblyman, who is the sole Pas representative in the state assembly, said he would continue to be friends with PKR members, including Chan Ming Kai, who is the only PKR assemblyman in the state.
Chan, who is the Indera Kayangan assemblyman, said after the decision made by Pas, there was only personal friendship between him and Shukri.
He said relationship between parties should be defined by the party top leadership and not at the state level, although in Perlis, there was no confrontation nor cooperation.
In Kuching, Sarawak Pas Youth said the party was prepared to go it alone in the next general election. Its chief, Mohammad Arifiriazul Paijo, told the New Straits Times it supported the decision made by the Syura council.