‘Nothing wrong in working with others if it yields results’

KUALA TERENGGANU: There is nothing wrong for PAS to cooperate with other political parties as long as it can bring positive results for the Islamist party, says its secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan.

He added PAS is ready to adopt any approach that would give it a winning chance in any election as long as it does not go against party ideals.

“We want to contest with the hope of being in power so that we can play our role either as the gov- ernment or representatives of the people in Parliament.

“As a democratic country, that check-and-balance is needed.

“It is not a healthy democracy if there are too few opposition representatives in the state assemblies because there will be no criticisms against government mistakes or wrongdoing,” he said after announcing the party’s muktamar (congress) scheduled from Thursday to Sunday.

Takiyuddin said PAS might also appoint a sole opposition candidate if it decides to face PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a parliamentary by-election.

The by-election will enable Anwar to return to Parliament.

Takiyuddin admitted that the collaboration between PAS and other opposition parties, especially Umno, will be difficult to understand as both PAS and Umno are long-time political adversaries.

“It is a new approach and we had expected that there will be some reservations,” he added.

Takiyuddin also rebutted PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli’s claim that a pact between PAS and Umno will be favourable to Pakatan and change the political landscape, especially in Terengganu and Kelantan.

“He is saying this because he is contesting for the party deputy president’s seat.

“His think-tank Invoke Malaysia had predicted PAS would not win any seat (in GE14), but we ended up taking 18 parliamentary seats and 90 state seats,” Takiyuddin added.

We want to contest ... so that we can play our role either as the government or representatives in Parliament. Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan