Penang PAS will never betray its political friends. It will now back PKR all the way to victory in this month’s Penanti by-election.

The by-election is being held following the resignation of former Deputy Chief Minister 1 Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin on April 16 as state representative.

mujahid yusof rawa Speaking at a Pakatan public rally in Mengkuang Titi, on Penang’s mainland last night, PAS state deputy commissioner Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said that the recent public spat between PAS and PKR over the Penanti by-election was over and buried.

"We have resolve our differences and now will work together to secure a Pakatan Rakyat victory in the poll," the Parit Buntar Member of Parliament told some 5,000 people.

He said Penang PAS was neither greedy nor instigated by anyone when it wanted to contest the Penanti by-election at the expense of PKR.

He refuted claims that PAS had betrayed its Pakatan colleagues

"Our interest to contest Penanti was based on political and moral principles. I promise you that Penang PAS will never betray or stab in the back its friends," assured Mujahid, the PAS national unity bureau chairperson and an adviser to the party’s non-Muslim Supporters Club.

He likened the recent spat between PKR and PAS over the Penanti seat as similar to "two brothers rebuking each other without any malicious intent.”

"It’s nothing wrong for two brothers to chide each other for betterment of our struggle for a common cause," he said, assuring that Penang PAS will never betray its Pakatan colleagues.

Hoping for a straight fight with Umno candidate

"We will adhere to our party’s top leadership directive to stop our dispute and back PKR to retain the seat, hopefully in a straight fight with a Barisan Nasional candidate from Umno," he said to applause from the crowd.

Mujahid caused a stir in Penang early this month when he insisted that Penang PAS wanted to contest Penanti, merely 12 hours after PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim claimed that Pakatan leaders at all levels had set aside their differences to put up an united front for the by-election on May 31.

PKR has already announced that it would field the party’s state deputy leader Mansor Othman as Pakatan candidate.

Since the 1999 general election, PKR has traditionally contested Penanti. It falls under the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat now held by Anwar.

penang pkr chief zahrain hassim Earlier, PKR state chief Zahrain Hashim told the crowd that the PKR-PAS spat was merely friendly jibes caused by disgruntlement among the grassroots.

"We cannot satisfy everyone with our political decisions. There are bound to be objections and differences of opinions," he said.

Pointing to the presence of Mujahid at the rally, he said PKR, PAS and DAP have forged a strong working relationship for a common cause to provide an alternative viable political governance for the people.

"Our differences in Pakatan were normal and a minor issue in coalition politics," Zahrain said, playing down the gravity of the divisions in the coalition.

Speaking at the rally later, PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim said that he beheld no grudge against any local PAS leaders over the controversy.

"It was merely a brotherly quarrel at the grassroots level, which has been settled now," he told the crowd.