Johor polls: PAS should not blame Umno for state elections, says Nur Jazlan

JOHOR BARU: Another Umno leader has hit back at PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang for blaming the party for the Johor polls.

Johor deputy chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (pic) said that Hadi had failed to understand the process of democracy when he blamed Umno for the state election.

"Hadi’s level of thinking is unfit for a president of the second largest party in Malaysia.

"As a party president and as someone who has been in politics for a long time, he should understand that when a government only has a one-seat majority, it is not stable and could disrupt the democratic process while also hindering economic planning.

"It has nothing to do with the issue of the 'court cluster' wanting to continue its grip on power because Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Najib Razak are not in government today," he said in a statement here on Saturday (Jan 29).

He added that the Johor election was held to ensure democracy and to allow the people to elect a new government that is more stable and strong.

"Hadi has diverted too far after Johor Umno-Barisan Nasional refused to be with PAS in the coming state election.

"This crisis is not Umno’s fault but it is instead due to PAS’ untrustworthiness and for playing tricks (main kayu tiga) with the relationship between Muafakat Nasional and Perikatan Nasional," he said.

He added that PAS had tried to foster a relationship with Umno through the backdoor in Johor.

"When PAS realised that they would be destroyed again as they did in the Melaka election, they tried to establish an illegal relationship (hubungan terlarang) through the back door with Umno in Johor.

"Umno is aware of PAS’ cunning games and dirty tricks after the Melaka state election. They are fed up and want to move solo in the Johor election this time," he said.

He said this in response to Hadi’s statement claiming that Umno's "court cluster" had triggered the Johor and Melaka elections.

Earlier, Hadi was quoted as saying that the state election was due to a push coming from the "court cluster".

Hadi also said that PAS was not so weak that it needed to beg to get more seats to contest in the upcoming election.