‘Pas right in telling its exco men to remain’
KOTA BARU: Pas was right in instructing its three executive councillors (exco) in Selangor to hold on to their posts, said Kelantan Pas secretary Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi yesterday.
He said this following Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s recent decision to retain the three in the state administration.
“The decision is in line with Pas’ stand that the three exco members should continue fulfilling the mandate given by the people.
“They should be given a chance to carry on with their work. Parties that have been pressuring them to step down should stop doing so,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Abdullah said Parti Amanah Nasional (PAN), which had been clamouring for its own assemblymen to replace the three exco members, should remember that the PAN leaders were elected under the Pas ticket in the last general election.
Earlier this month, the Pas top leadership resolved to end its political cooperation with PKR, citing several terms of agreement that PKR had violated.
This had prompted the Islamic party’s detractors, in particular Pas’s offshoot PAN, to urge the three exco members to relinquish their posts in the PKR-led state government.
On Monday, Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, was spotted engaging in a discussion with Selangor Pas leaders during a function in Sekinchan.
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the following day, revealed that Pas’ 13 state assemblymen, including three exco members, had agreed to continue supporting common policies based on the Buku Jingga agenda.
According to Dr Wan Azizah, Azmin had explained to PKR’s political bureau that the move was to ensure stability in the state government ahead of the 14th General Election.
This, she said, would also enable efforts to develop Selangor to continue, in line with the mandate given by the people.
On a related matter, Abdullah said the Kelantan government would replace PKR members who failed to carry out their duties in the state’s district councils.
He said this following the absence of three PKR members, who were appointed to the Pasir Puteh District Council, from their swearing-in ceremony recently.