PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today concurred that Najib Abdul Razak need not step down as prime minister but should instead dissolve Parliament.

He was asked to respond to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang who backed Najib to stay on as prime minister.

"I agree with Hadi that Najib need not resign. He should instead dissolve Parliament if he wants a new mandate.

"Resigning would appear that he is running away from his responsibilities," Mat Sabu ( photo ) told Malaysiakini .

He added that Najib must face the people and explain the issues plaguing him instead of just handing them over to someone else.

Abdul Hadi today said that Najib did not need to resign over 1Malaysia Development Berhad's (1MDB) massive RM42 billion debt as there had been similar controversies in the past.

“This is not entirely new. Before 1MDB, we also had problems with Perwaja (Steel Sdn Bhd) and the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), just to name a few.

“It is a shame to pressure him to step down as we should practice a healthy democracy,” he was quoted as saying in Kuala Terengganu by The Star Online.

Mat Sabu to defend

Mat Sabu had previously come under fire for being at odds with Abdul Hadi during the Selangor menteri besar crisis .

During the crisis, Mat Sabu had described Abdul Hadi's endorsement of then Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as a "personal view" prompting criticism of him (Mat Sabu) being disloyal.

Pakatan Rakyat had then wanted to replace Khalid as Selangor menteri besar as Hadi had weighed in as PAS president and Pakatan leader.

Since the incident, Mat Sabu's support has plummeted with most PAS divisions  nominating current PAS vice-president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man to replace him in the run-up to party elections in June.

Despite this, Mat Sabu announced last week that he will be defending his post as the party's number two.

Related stories

Tajuddin: We back PM, but he must fix 1MDB

Thorns revealed in Najib's rosy picture

Who’s the bigger clown - Rafizi or Dr M?

PMO denies cabinet reshuffle on the cards

Hadi backs Najib to stay on as PM

PM's aide: Has Rosmah chaired cabinet meeting?

Nothing will come out of 1MDB audit, as usual

A whole lot of boogie-woogie in Umno

Round 2: A desperate Najib fights back

'Big issues submerged in Umno feud'

Teo: PSD cuts should target FLOM dept