PAS SLAMMED FOR SNUBBING OPPOSITION

Party’s reluctance to cooperate started in 2013, claims Kit Siang

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang yesterday lambasted Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and its five “tembikai” (watermelon) leaders for their reluctance to cooperate with the opposition.

Lim said signs that Pas was veering off from Pakatan had emerged since the campaign for the last general election in 2013 (GE13).

“Looking back, it is now clear that Hadi’s political tendency did not start after GE13.

“Hadi had never publicly supported Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the (then) Pakatan Rakyat prime minister-designate in GE13.

“When the issue was forced in 2014, Hadi declared his objection against PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as Pakatan Rakyat’s Selangor menteri besar,” he said in a statement.

Lim’s statement came a day after Pakatan Harapan announced that it was not cooperating with Pas in the coming election.

Lim made references to five Pas leaders who were regarded as “tembikai” for seemingly being supportive of Pas’s softened approached towards Umno.

The term tembikai is used by political observers to describe those from Pas who are discreetly supporting Umno.

In a commentary on an online portal last Friday, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia committee member Datuk Rais Hussein identified the five “tembikai” as Pas Youth chief Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Aziz, party research director Dr Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki, information chief Nasrudin Hassan, Pas Ulama information chief Datuk Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali and Hadi’s political secretary Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

Lim said Pas was no longer what it used to be as seen in its hardline stance against Umno in the years after the “Amanat Hadi” (Hadi’s address) in 1981.

“Pas under Hadi and his five lieutenants is a very different party from that under the late mursyidul am (spiritual leader) Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and former Pas presidents Datuk Fadzil Noor and Dr Yusuf Rawa,” he said.

Lim said Pas’s target to contest 40 parliamentary seats nationwide and its intention to govern five states after GE14 was done for the benefit of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said Pas’s real intention in fielding its candidates in the 40 constituencies was to sacrifice its victory for the benefit of Umno and BN.

Lim described these candidates as being akin to “suicide bombers”.

“The proclamation of Hadi and his five ‘tembikai’ leaders that Pas intends to win 40 parliamentary seats and five state governments is only a ‘pie in the sky’,” he said.

Hadi had never publicly supported Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the (then) Pakatan Rakyat prime minister-designate in GE13.

LIM KIT SIANG

DAP adviser