Parti Amanah Rakyat (Amanah) wants the Selangor PAS to sign a deal with Pakatan Harapan to avoid confusion over the status of the Selangor government.
Its information chief Khalid Samad said this is because PAS has no standing in Pakatan Harapan, made up of PKR, DAP and Amanah, and yet three PAS members are on the state exco while the deputy speaker is also from PAS.
“The Selangor government’s status must be clarified so it will not be seen as a bi-coalition government made up of coalitions which do not acknowledge each other…
“It is feared that this will be like a married man who is also keeping a mistress. This anomaly must be resolved,” he said in a statement today.
By signing an agreement to cooperate, Khalid said this would formalise a Pakatan Harapan-PAS coalition government in Selangor, and the issue of pressuring PAS to leave the state government would no longer arise.
The new coalition would then have to determine what common policies they would have to carry out together, and this would also provide be an opportunity to review Pakatan Rakyat’s Selangor election manifesto.
“If there is any opportunity to improve it, then it must be taken advantage of.
"Likewise, if the Selangor Pakatan Harapan-PAS state government wants to adopt Pakatan Rakyat’s manifesto, then let that be done officially too,” he said.
Khalid was commenting on a call by a delegate at the Selangor DAP convention on Nov 1 for PAS to resign from the state government.
Swift action
He said although it was only the views of one delegate and was not adopted as Selangor DAP’s official position, members of the public had reacted to media reports of the speech as though it was DAP’s final decision.
It shows that the people are unhappy with the current situation, he said.
“Nevertheless, calls to remove PAS abruptly would not be beneficial to anyone but Umno and BN,” he said.
Khalid warned that the status quo cannot last forever, and swift action must be taken lest both Pakatan Harapan and PAS are punished at the polls when the 14th general election comes around.
It is only when relations between Pakatan Harapan and PAS are made official and common policies can be put forward that the Selangor government’s policy direction can become clear.
“With that, it would make it easier for the rakyat to evaluate the Selangor government’s performance and see its strengths. These issues need to be expedited.
“Amanah is concerned if the people of Selangor become tired with the turmoil and uncertainty pervading in their state. The worry is that this would be seen as a failure to prioritise the people and manage differences in a constructive manner,” he said.
Responding at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said he will meet with Amanah leaders this Thursday over the matter.
“That is Khalid's proposal. I will meet Amanah leaders this Thursday and we will discuss everything, including how to fight Umno/BN,” Azmin said.
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