We’ll walk together but we’ll never be one, says Hadi

PETALING JAYA: PAS and Umno may walk hand in hand to oppose Icerd tomorrow bu they will never be one, says PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

He said PAS and Umno were separate entities completely different ideologies, with PAS’ membership based on Islam and Umno’s based on race.

“There will never be a united PAS and Umno party. Our ideologies are different. It is impossible.

“But cooperation and understanding can happen,’’ he said in an interview.

Hadi said the joint rally was because although the agenda of Icerd was against discrimination, its “discrimination” was one defined by the West, which “is different from ours”.

“We come together now like we did against the colonialists before independence to insist that Islam be placed as the official religion in the Federal Constitution,” said Hadi.

He said the reason for the rally was to “save the nation, which became confused over different statements Pakatan Harapan leaders have given on Icerd”.

He said since most of the people were Malays, PAS and Umno agreed to come together in the anti-Icerd rally “to show force”.

Icerd became a bone of contention with PAS and Umno when the Pakatan government mooted to ratify the convention.

Umno and PAS assert that Icerd contravenes Article 153 in the Federal Constitution, which upholds Malay privileges, and vowed to rally against the ratification.