PKR Pahang chief Fauzi Abdul Rahman today derided Prime Minister Najib Razak's claim that Umno's move to talk about a unity government with Pas stems from religious rather than political considerations.

fauzi abdul rahman "Are we to understand that at last Umno is acknowledging that on matters of religion Pas is to be courted because of their superior religious credentials?" asked Fauzi ( left ) in a statement to Malaysiakini in response to a report in the Bahasa section of the website quoting Najib on the unity question.

"I take it the Umno president is either extremely sincere or deeply desperate," said Fauzi.

"He is either conceding that on Islamic religion at least Pas has always got it right which is why Umno now wants to get together with the party from religious promptings, or he is so desperate to make common cause with Pas that is unconcerned about what that concession implies," he added.

Is he so desperate?

Fauzi held that either way, Najib ( below ) was trapped in a welter of contradictions because the Prime Minister's 1Malaysia concept implied that any move towards a unity government must include all players on the national political front.

NONE "Why talk about a unity government with not only Pas, and not with PKR and DAP who each represent significant sections of political society and must be included in any unity government if the 1Malaysia concept is to have any credibility?"

"Najib cannot have his cake and eat it too," said Fauzi.

"He is either going to concede to Pas' religious superiority in the national political scene."

He added: "Otherwise we have to conclude that he is acting in bad faith and merely playing politics."