PAS and Lau iron out issues

Party sorry over snub, urges members to accept his candidacy

GEORGE TOWN: PAS and Datuk Dr Dominic Lau (pic) seemed to have mended their fences, with the Gerakan president accepting an apology following a much talked about snub by a Penang PAS leader.

Penang PAS, on its part, said it would meet grassroots members over Lau’s candidacy in the Malay-majority Bayan Lepas seat, which had caused unhappiness among PAS members.

Lau told reporters yesterday that everybody should “move on”.

“Of course, we are grateful to PAS for (publicly) apologising and we accept it.

“This is just a small thing. We are all humans and humans cannot run away from making mistakes.

“Whether it is correct or wrong or a misunderstanding, now I want to put a stop to this and just move forward,” he said.

Lau urged his Perikatan Nasional allies to set aside their personal grievances and work together in the election campaign.

“There are seven days left and we must go all out and get the mandate.

“What you have seen does not portray what our real relationship is like. We can resolve matters internally,” he said.

The widely reported snub happened when Lau attended a PAS ceramah in Penang on Tuesday but at one point, Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim told him to “go away”.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan conveyed the party’s apology in a statement yesterday.

He said that Lau, as the leader of a Perikatan component party and candidate in the state election, should be accorded adequate respect.

He also urged party members to accept Lau’s candidacy for Bayan Lepas.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Penang PAS would meet grassroots members over Lau’s candidacy in the state election.

State PAS commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said this was aimed at clearing the air over the issue and resolving problems in an amicable manner.

“We are always looking for solutions over this matter... the PAS machinery will help Lau in his campaign. This is the directive from the party leadership and we will back all candidates fielded,” he said yesterday.

Lau is in a straight fight for Bayan Lepas against Pakatan Harapan’s Azrul Mahathir Aziz, who is Penang Amanah vice-chairman and the incumbent assemblyman.

It was reported that the PAS grassroots were threatening to boycott the polls after Lau was named to contest in the seat.

Local PAS leaders said the party had been doing the groundwork there for years and could not accept Lau, whom they called a “parachute” candidate.