Pas Congress 9

Some Pas members want to appease Pakatan by rejecting MB's post

by Shahrum Sayuthi

NST online

BATU PAHAT: Concerned with the possibility of Pas leaving the Pakatan coalition following dispute over the Selangor leadership crisis, some members insisted that the party leadership reject the MB post if selected by the Sultan.

The topic continued to be the main talking point on the second day of the party's muktamar (annual general meeting).

First speaker of the debate session today, Wan Kharizal Wan Khazim from Perlis called on the party leadership not to accept a possible appointment of the Selangor Menteri Besar post from among their assemblymen.

He said Pas could not afford to offend PKR and DAP by accepting the post which he insisted should be given to PKR.

"We must maintain our moral integrity and not break our promise to our Pakatan friends," he said.

It was reported that a new MB would be sworn in front of the Selangor Sultan on Sept 23.

Sources had indicated that the Selangor palace was keen to appoint a Pas assemblyman as the new MB instead of one from PKR.

The Selangor leadership crisis was triggered by PKR's Kajang Move which was designed to replace current MB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

The Pas leadership was divided over the issue with the ulama (religious leaders) faction led by party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang being against the PKR's move while another faction, led by his deputy Mohamad Sabu being supportive of it.

Wan Kharizal said Pas will lose the support of the non-muslim community if it breaks relation with PKR and DAP.

"We have made a lot of gains among the non-muslims in the last general election with the help of our friends. Therefore, we must be sincere with them," he said.

Second speaker, Khairul Anwar Wafa from Negeri Sembilan called on the party leadership to move an urgent motion at the muktamar to reject the possible appointment of its assemblyman as Selangor MB.

"We must make known to our Pakatan Rakyat friends that we do not want the post," he said.

Khairul Anwar, nonetheless qualified his suggestion by pointing out that Pas should not at the same time defy the wish of the Sultan of Selangor if indeed the Ruler wants a Pas assemblyman to be the new MB.

"At least when the time comes, after we had made the urgent motion, we can tell our friends (PKR and DAP) that the appointment is the wish of the Sultan and not ours," he said.