PETALING JAYA: Claiming that its partner in Perikatan Nasional has broken its promises, PAS will relook its cooperation with Bersatu, says Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
The PAS president also alleged that Bersatu had barred other political parties from joining Perikatan, effectively affecting the coalition’s expansion.
Abdul Hadi cited the recent political upheaval in Perlis, which led to the replacement of a PAS Mentri Besar with a Bersatu candidate, as one of the main examples of the party not adhering to the spirit of the coalition.
“We have our patience but our patience has its limits. Elections are near but if cooperation in Perikatan affects our electoral results, then we have to do what is necessary.
“We will not bow to the demands of Bersatu anymore,” he told a press conference.
Abdul Hadi said the party has not set a deadline for making a final decision on its cooperation with Bersatu.
However, he said the question of PAS going solo in the general election does not arise.
“PAS is the chairman of the coalition and PAS accepts all non-extreme parties to join Perikatan. In politics, there are all kinds of possibilities,” he said.
Abdul Hadi pointed out that in Perlis, Bersatu assemblymen had signed statutory declarations retracting their support for the former mentri besar, who is from PAS, to install a candidate from their own party.
“Bersatu also sacked Kedah state executive councillors and the Kelantan state assembly deputy speaker Datuk Mohamed Farid Mohamed Zawawi when the party removed leaders from their positions.
“Bersatu then asked us to replace them. To us, they had not done anything wrong in their positions in the state,” he added.
PAS and Bersatu officially came together under Perikatan in 2020 after the “Sheraton Move” earlier that year.
On cooperation with Umno, Abdul Hadi said this was out of the question as Umno is still working with DAP under the Madani administration.
PAS and DAP have been at odds and political rivals, except during 1998 and 2008 when they were part of the same coalition.
