SIMPANG JERAM – PAS abruptly quit the Pakatan Rakyat coalition in 2015 because the party was scheming to form a “unity government” with Barisan Nasional linchpin Umno, not over DAP’s persistent rejection of the proposed hudud law.
This was among the many “revelations” shared by Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu during a ceramah here last night.
Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, alleged that some PAS leaders, including president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, started “backstabbing” after the 2013 general election (GE13).
What more, he added, was the proposal to work with Umno was not discussed among PAS leadership and during its muktamar (annual convention).
“(After GE13), Umno was working towards creating a unity government. However, nothing was discussed, either at Muktamar PAS or during other meetings. Suddenly, PAS announced it was severing ties with DAP.
“It’s not a hudud problem, or another problem, but PAS really wanted to be with Umno and (due to) the political developments at that time they (PAS and Umno) finally established Muafakat Nasional (MN).”
Following this, Mat Sabu alleged that Hadi had lied by using the hudud issue as a reason for PAS to quit Pakatan Rakyat.
The Amanah leader added that Pakatan Rakyat had a consensus to reject the implementation of hudud laws.
“Coalition leaders, such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Ramkarpal Singh and Anthony Loke, met at PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the hudud issue.
“Ramkarpal opposed it vehemently… no hudud, citing that it went against the Federal Constitution. In the end, we decided to ‘agree to disagree’.”
Mat Sabu said this goes to show that PAS “creates fatwas” to suit whatever alliance it is in.
“Why did PAS not fight for the implementation of hudud when it was part of the federal government? After much wait, hudud was never brought up by Perikatan Nasional when it was in power.
“The subject was only brought up again when they (PN and PAS) lost power.”
Last night’s ceramah was attended by Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Amanah communication director Khalid Samad and Simpang Jeram candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman.
Previously, Hadi in a ceramah here accused DAP of telling PAS to give up its fight for Islam as DAP was unable to accept an islamic administration.
This was refuted by DAP secretary-general Loke, who instead said DAP was consistent during its political cooperation with PAS and only focused on mutually agreed issues.
Currently, Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and others are part of the federal unity government and in a handful of state administrations.
Nazri is facing PN candidate Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya and independent S. Jeganathan. Meanwhile, in the Pulai parliamentary by-election, Pakatan Harapan’s Suhaizan Kaiat faces a three-cornered fight against PN’s Zulkifli Jaafar and independent Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.
The Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections fell vacant following the death of Amanah deputy president and domestic trade minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.
The Election Commission (EC) has set the by-elections for both seats to be held simultaneously with early voting on September 5, and polling day on September 9. – August 29, 2023