KUALA LUMPUR – PAS’ true colours are beginning to unravel through the treatment of its Perikatan Nasional (PN) partners in Penang.
And this assessment comes from none other than a senior PN leader.
The PN Central Committee, member who requested anonymity, told Scoop that the debacle in Sungai Dua where Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau was chased away from a PAS ceramah, was indicative of how PAS values its coalition partners and a more ominous plan to take over Penang.
“The same night Dominic was chased away, (PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul) Hadi Awang tells non-Malays not to fear PAS.
“This is a lie. PAS is a racist party and I fear it becomes more powerful,” said the Malay leader.
Where Penang is concerned, he said the assumption has always been that Gerakan has a better chance in Penang as by tradition Gerakan once governed Penang.
“But PAS has been dominating the conversation in Penang having sidelined Gerakan and even without any consensus with Bersatu.
“It wants to decide the seat allocation and tried to sabotage Gerakan’s chances in the state elections,” he said, adding that Gerakan cannot win the seats allocated to it.
“PAS pushes ahead without consulting Bersatu or Gerakan.
“PAS does not want Gerakan to win. It wants Penang to be a PAS state,” he said.
He said of the 15 Malay seats, eight were initially taken by PAS before being reduced to seven after Bayan Lepas was given to Gerakan.
PAS went ahead and orchestrated protests and even criticised its own friends in PN.
“When Dominic was first tipped for Teluk Ayer Tawar, PAS said Dominic should not come to a Malay area although this is a mixed area.
“Now that he has been given Bayan Lepas, PAS is boycotting the campaign there,” the PN leader said, referring to nomination day when the PAS election machinery was conspicuously missing when Lau submitted his nomination papers.
“Dominic is Gerakan national president and an important partner. How can you treat him that way?
“Basically all these are telling me that PAS is a racist party… no respect for their partners in PN including Bersatu,” he said adding that as far as PAS is concerned, Gerakan is a Chinese party and cannot be trusted.
He went on to say that while PAS stakes claim on Amanah seats, when it comes to Umno seats, it wants to share with Bersatu.
“They are very devious in the way they deal with us. I’m worried if they become more powerful especially in Penang.
“I’m very reluctant to say this but seeing how they treat Dominic and even Bersatu leaders, including Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and Datuk Radzi Jidin I’m very worried.”
Asked why he is revealing this now in the midst of the six state elections, the PN leader said he needed to paint a true picture of PAS for the future of the country.
“Bersatu albeit a Malay-Muslim centric party and Gerakan a Chinese-centric one have always taken an inclusive approach.
“They acknowledge and embrace the diversity of this country but PAS is becoming more and more right wing and intolerant which is not good.”
He said dialogue and persuasion of PAS leaders in the PN leadership are ongoing but with little success.
“PAS’ belligerent attitude will have an impact on the non-Malay votes.
If PN fails to take over Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, the responsibility and fault must be pointed at the racist and chauvinistic attitudes of PAS,” he said singling out PAS Balik Pulau chief Muhammad Fauzi Yusuf for organising the protest against Lau in Bayan Lepas.
Fauzi is also Penang PAS commissioner and the Sungai Dua candidate.
The PN leader also singled out Tasek Gelugor PAS chief Mohd Sobri Salleh for protesting against Lau in Teluk Air Tawar.
“If PN fails in Penang and Selangor, it will be because of this racist duo,” he said. – August 3, 2023