KUALA LUMPUR – Are the grassroots members of PAS causing problems for the other parties – Bersatu and Gerakan in the Perikatan Nasional (PN)?
The question arises following the hostile treatment of Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau by PAS leaders in Penang, and a damning indictment of the party as racist by none other than a senior Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader.
However, PN deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu is undertaking damage control by downplaying the number of disgruntled PAS grassroots, saying their actions did not reflect the party’s objectives and goals.
Speaking to Scoop, Faizal said that on the national level, the three parties (Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan) are aligned.
Faizal was also quick to deny that PAS was a “racist” party, apart from “disrespectful” towards Bersatu and Gerakan, adding that perception towards the Islamist party has over exaggerated by certain quarters
“I am being honest here. PAS is not a racist party and they have not tried to overrule Bersatu and Gerakan. The relationship is going good between the three political parties.”
“At a working level, there could be some misunderstandings or miscommunication, but to say that we are having problems is not true.
“In any organisation, there will be differences of opinions but that does not mean it is a bad thing. It happens everywhere, and I don’t understand, what is the issue here?”
Meanwhile, Faizal reiterated that PN’s machinery in Negri Sembilan is working cohesively to wrest the state from Pakatan Harapan.
Earlier, a PN leader said that PAS’ true colours are beginning to unravel through the treatment of its PN partners in Penang, citing an incident in which Gerakan’s president Dominic Lau being chased out from a PAS ceramah.
It is understood that several renegade Penang PAS leaders were staging a boycott of Gerakan there ahead of the upcoming state election on August 12. – August 4, 2023