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‘PKR must decide once and for all how to approach PAS issue’

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PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli says there is no guarantee that PH can secure a collective bloc vote in straight fights, even if PAS agrees to cooperate.

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KUALA LUMPUR: PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli has advised the party to decide once and for all how to approach the matter of continued cooperation with PAS.

Responding to the resignation of Selayang MP William Leong Jee Keen from the party’s political bureau over PKR-PAS talks, Rafizi said he could understand Leong’s frustrations.

He said PKR needed to explore the issue internally, adding that Pakatan Harapan (PH) should also look at coming to a decision on it.

“I respect that decision,” he said, referring to Leong’s resignation.

“We saw it coming. It is unfortunate that he tendered his resignation from the bureau, as membership there is a privilege.

“I share his view in the sense that PKR has to decide once and for all how to approach this PAS issue.

“It is now too close to the elections, and too many variables with regards to the elections have changed,” he told FMT when contacted.

Leong, who tendered his resignation on Monday, said he will remain a PKR member as well as the Selayang MP.

However, he said he will not defend his seat in the upcoming general election.

Rafizi said the very basis of a straight fight to ensure a collective bloc vote for PH needed to be challenged and critically analysed.

He said there was no guarantee of such a vote, even if PAS agreed to work together with the pact.

“You see, PH has gathered good momentum in terms of public support.

“We risk slowing down public momentum if we are seen to be courting PAS.

“Also, we cannot stall seat negotiations just to wait for PAS,” he said.

With so much uncertainty regarding cooperation with PAS, he added, it did not look like any teamwork was taking place.

“Even if PAS agrees, there is no guarantee PH will agree.

“Even if PKR agrees, it cannot agree on behalf of other PH parties,” he said.

Such a move could also cause fragmentation among the votes of different groups such as the Chinese, Indians, urban middle-class, hardcore Amanah supporters, PKR and PAS, he added.

Election can be called any time

Meanwhile, PKR’s Wong Chen said it was time for the party to make a clear stand regarding PAS.

He said time was running out as the general election can take place any time from October to March next year.

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It is futile to continue talks with PAS under its party president Abdul Hadi Awang, says Wong Chen.

“Otherwise our members and overall voters will be utterly confused,” he told FMT.

He said he respected Leong’s position as the Selayang MP did not want to be associated with the PKR political bureau’s decision to continue negotiating with PAS.

“In Kelana Jaya, I haven’t had any existing working relationship with PAS since Amanah was formed in 2015. I have been working only with Amanah since then.”

He told FMT that he had no quarrels with PAS leaders in Kelana Jaya, some of whom were his good friends.

However, he said PAS had rejected DAP, Amanah and PKR during the Islamist party’s muktamar in April.

“In addition, it is also clear that PAS is moving closer to Umno as seen in the tabling of Act 355.

“If the Selangor menteri besar wants to finish the Pakatan Rakyat government term in Selangor, that is his prerogative.

“However, I don’t think that prerogative extends to working with PAS during the coming general election.”

Pakatan Rakyat was a political coalition formed by PKR, DAP and PAS on April 1, 2008, after the 12th general election.

PH meanwhile comprises PKR, DAP, Amanah and PPBM.

Act 355, also known as the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, was presented to the Dewan Rakyat in April. However, it was not debated among the MPs as Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia called an abrupt end to the Parliament sitting.

The Kelana Jaya MP said it was futile to continue talks with PAS at the national level under its party president Abdul Hadi Awang.

“I trusted the late Tok Guru Nik Aziz,” he said, referring to PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who died in 2015.

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Tian Chua says it is unfair of the Selayang MP to say that there were ongoing talks between the two parties.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua meanwhile said Leong had never expressed his disagreement over the purported talks between PKR and PAS.

He said it was unfair of the Selayang MP to say that there were ongoing talks between the two parties.

“First of all, there are no ongoing talks with PAS. We have been consistent and have maintained that we need to find a formula for a one-to-one fight with Barisan Nasional.

“No one has had issues. He had never expressed such a disagreement,” he said.

However, Leong’s move earned praise from former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim.

“Good stuff my friend. Your party always want(s) instant gratification. They forget that politics is a struggle, not an iPhone,” the DAP member tweeted.

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