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PAS leader denies crossover rumour

KUALA LUMPUR — A senior leader of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) yesterday reiterated the opposition party’s commitment to the shared goals of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition, following rumours of a possible link-up with rivals United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) — the leading member of the ruling Barisan National (BN) coalition. The announcement comes as internal squabbling within the six-year-old opposition pact over the Selangor Chief Minister post in the past months raised the spectre of a split in the opposition camp.

KUALA LUMPUR — A senior leader of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) yesterday reiterated the opposition party’s commitment to the shared goals of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition, following rumours of a possible link-up with rivals United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) — the leading member of the ruling Barisan National (BN) coalition. The announcement comes as internal squabbling within the six-year-old opposition pact over the Selangor Chief Minister post in the past months raised the spectre of a split in the opposition camp.

PAS Research Centre (PPP) executive director Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad yesterday denied that the Islamist party was entertaining a move to abandon the pact and wrest control of PR-helmed Selangor, as alleged in reports based on a leaked discussion between party leaders. “PAS remains firmly with the struggles of Pakatan Rakyat in upholding the (PR) common policy framework,” he said.

Screenshots of a purported discussion among PAS leaders via the WhatsApp messaging platform, which were leaked on Monday, showed a proposal by a PAS strategist for co-operation with UMNO to take control of the state for Muslims.

The screenshot displayed a message — posted by PPP operations director Dr Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki — outlining a strategy where PAS, which holds 15 state seats, exits PR and joins forces with UMNO, which has 12 state seats, to form a simple majority and maintain incumbent Selangor Chief Minister Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

The three PR partners — which include Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) — are currently in a stand-off over a plan to replace Mr Khalid with PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail due to his ineffectual leadership. The plan was mooted by PKR and initially agreed to at the coalition’s presidential council meeting last week.

Some Selangor DAP leaders have backed PKR, but the move is facing resistance from top PAS leaders, including party president Abdul Hadi Awang and PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who have publicly voiced their support for Mr Khalid.

Yesterday, Dr Dzulkefly stressed that Mr Zuhdi’s opinion was not representative of PAS’ collective stand on the issue and that it was part and parcel of the latter’s “scenario planning” methodology as a research specialist.

“There were other scenarios discussed frankly that included various possibilities, including worst-case scenarios,” he added. THE MALAY MAIL

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