Hadi: Not up to PAS to declare itself Pakatan leader

Although PAS has every right to lead Pakatan Rakyat, it cannot do so without first consulting partners DAP and PKR, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said.

"This is up to Pakatan Rakyat to decide. PAS has the right to lead the coalition but it must first discuss with the other parties," he told reporters.

He was responding to Johor delegate Firdaus Masood who while debating the president's address said that Pakatan must have a clear leader.

"This is so we will know who will be the prime minister after the 14th general election," Firdaus said.

Speaking at a press conference at the sidelines of the 59th muktamar in Shah Alam, Abdul Hadi also acknowledged the delegates' support for tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) within Pakatan.

He said that political cooperation is a concept introduced and practiced by prophet Muhammad and is not alien to Islam.

"Islam promotes an approach of peace and dialogue within society, and to find points of agreement among people of different races and religions" he said.

He said the BN on the other hand does not represent true political cooperation in the Islamic sense, as tahaluf siyasi means that things that are clearly forbidden in Islam cannot be compromised.

"With Umno such things are muddled," he added.