PAS must not wait until its central committee meeting on Aug 17 to state its stand on the Selangor menteri besar crisis.

The Islamist prty must "decide now" as to whether it will stand with its Pakatan Rakyat partners, PKR vice-president N Surendran said today.

Describing the current situation as a "moment of truth" for PAS, Surendran said PKR and DAP "fully expect" PAS to stand by its coalition partners in light of the crisis.

The Pakatan government in Selangor is no longer effective following the sacking of PKR and DAP state executive councillors by the now independent menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who was expelled from PKR last Saturday.

Only PAS exco members are still attending the exco meeting and participating in the state government, following their party leadership's explicit backing for Khalid.

"Any other decision will be a disaster for PAS as a national political party," Surendren said.

"In light of Umno's declaration of support for Khalid, PAS must not wait for the meeting on Aug 17. PAS must make its stand with DAP and PKR now!" he added.

He said the people's "dream" of a nation "free from BN" was hanging in the balance now, because of the position take by PAS.

'Don't threaten PAS'

However, PAS' Temerloh MP Nasrudin Hasan, in a statement on his Facebook page, asked other parties not to "threaten" PAS and asked them to wait until Aug 17.

 
"If you want to work together don't force. Have meetings collectively before making decisions," he said.
 
Without referring to anyone in particular, Nasrudin said that no ultimatum should be issued to PAS.
 
"PAS is not a small party in the political arena to be bullied in such a manner," he said.

Yesterday, the top leaders of PKR and DAP called on the exco members of PAS to boycott the state exco meeting today, but the PAS exco members turned up for work and the meeting with Khalid.

Meanwhile, axed DAP exco Ean Yong Hian Wah earlier today had told PAS to choose between the embattled MB or Pakatan Rakyat.

The relationship between PAS and its Pakatan partners has been strained by the MB crisis, increasing fears that this might cause a break up in the federal opposition coalition.