KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) — PAS Youth will object any move to hold a dialogue or “muzakarah” with Umno if the objective is to form a political pact, the movement’s chief, Salahuddin Ayub, said Wednesday.
“There is no need to worry. PAS Youth will make sure that even if there will be a dialogue between PAS and Umno, it will not result in PAS joining the Barisan Nasional (BN) or sharing power with it and leave the Pakatan Rakyat,” he told a news conference here.
He said the decision was reach at the movement’s three-hour meeting yesterday.
Umno and PAS had met three times to discuss issues related to Islam and the Malays.
Salahuddin said PAS Youth did not want any group, especially the BN, to take advantage of the dialogue to create a split within PAS and between the party and its Pakatan Rakyat partners.
“In Pakatan Rakyat, we resolve problems internally. We will not betray our friends in Pakatan Rakyat,” he said, referring to the opposition pact comprising PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP.
Salahuddin said Umno had yet to provide PAS with the dialogue’s details or agenda.
“This is up to Umno. PAS Youth will look at the agenda whether it is relevant. We will not agree to the dialogue if it is clear that the agenda is tailored towards power-sharing or forming political pact,” he said.
He added that it would be better for both parties to remain as a separate entity if the dialogue was to be held in the name of unity.
“Even though the discussion is about Malay unity, there is no need for PAS and Umno to be sitting under one roof because if both parties are to become one, then the people will lose confident in PAS and some may even think that its leaders are only interested in getting posts,” he said.
Asked whether the central PAS leadership concurred with the stand taken by the youth wing, Salahuddin said the movement was not bothered if there were groups or individuals who were not agreeable to it.
On claims by former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo that he had met PAS leaders to propose a cooperation between BN and the party after the last general election, Salahuddin said PAS Youth would also object any move to offer posts to PAS leaders.
“We are a party with principle and self-esteem. PAS leaders will not bow to the offer,” he said.
Dr Mohamad Khir wrote in his blog that he had once suggested that PAS be given the menteri besar’s, deputy menteri besar’s as well as four executive council’s posts as an incentive to form a PAS-Umno state goverment in Selangor.
– BERNAMA
