PAS information chief Nasruddin Hassan described plans for disgruntled PAS members to form a new party as a “temporary phenomena” which would soon fade away.

 

Nasruddin, a firebrand Islamist aligned to the more conservative and hardline ulama faction, said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang viewed the proposal for a new outfit as a “post-muktamar fever”.

 

However, the new leadership seem wary of the possibility of a new party which may be formed by Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa) - an NGO-linked to PAS, or from progressive PAS leaders - who were defeated in the muktamar - also known as G18.

 

“I advice them not to be a disturbance to the party’s intention to become an alternative party to Umno and BN,” Nasruddin ( photo ) told reporters after the ceramah held by the new PAS leadership in Pongsu Seribu, Kepala Batas, last night.

 

Nasruddin  said the move by PasMa or G18 have confused the people and “disturbed” the political situation in the country.

 

“They are going nowhere, and their plans will not go far,” he predicted.

 

Other than Nasruddin, Hadi, PAS deputy chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, veep Idris Ahmad and Penang PAS commissioner I Fauzi Yahya spoke at the ceramah attended by about 200 members.

 

The group earlier held a closed door dialogue with state PAS leaders and members to explain the current developments in the opposition.

 

Nasruddin was also asked to comment on the DAP’s good ties with G18 (but not the ulama faction) - when they met for an informal meeting on June 24 - and whether this was an attempt to cause a split in PAS.

He said DAP was free to befriend anyone, saying the party’s spat with PAS was not about sentiments related to the professionals or the ulama faction in the party.

 

“Both groups - professionals and ulama - are willing to work together in PAS today, there is no dichotomy between the two groups, and it is up to DAP to choose their friends as it is their right,” he added.

 

When asked why were the professionals and ulama factions speaking in separate ceramahs when he said there were no dichotomy between the two groups, Nasruddin denied there was a split.

 

“Those are ceramahs (where the professionals attended) not organised by PAS.  We did not organise two separate programmes,” he replied.

 

On the party’s current situation in Penang, Nasruddin said the PAS central leadership's directive is for all its members, who hold more than 1,000 state positions , to “carry on their work as usual”.

 

'DAP cannot act alone'

He said the state government in Penang was formed by Pakatan Rakyat - DAP, PAS and PKR - when the coalition seized power from BN in 2008 and “DAP cannot act alone”.

 

He was referring to the party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng who declared on June 16, that Pakatan is dead as PAS delegates at their muktamar accepted without debate a proposal by the ulama council to cut ties with DAP.

 

Following the muktamar, five PAS leaders, including former PAS deputy chief Mohamed Sabu ( photo ) and Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, quit their posts, based on principles and respect for the muktamar’s decision.

 

Nasruddin said PAS central leaders, including Hadi, were in Penang yesterday to explain current issues affecting the party, and to clarify any misunderstandings that may arise from the current developments.

 

He reiterated that PAS was still with Pakatan, and that the Majlis Syura has yet to decide on the decision taken in the muktamar to cut ties with DAP.

 

“Until then, the party has not made a decision, it is only DAP which has decided that Pakatan is dead,” he said.

 

Nasruddin viewed DAP’s move as “interesting” but said the party was “impatient” as it should have waited and consulted the Pakatan leadership council before announcing the coalition’s demise.

 

Asked if DAP’s move was done on purpose to confuse the people, Nasruddin said the party’s move  smacked of a “much earlier planned provocation”.

 

“But we are able to explain all of this to our members, who understand the situation. It is up to DAP to do what it wants.  As far as we are concerned, PAS is still with Pakatan.”