'I never said Islamic state plan deferred': Fadzil
PAS president Fadzil Noor yesterday denied that the party is prepared to temporarily set aside its plan for an Islamic state as reported in an English daily under the headline 'Islamic state plan deferred'.
The Star yesterday reported that PAS is prepared to set aside its plan for an Islamic state for the time being and continue to focus on issues that have been highlighted in the Barisan Alternatif (BA) 1999 election manifesto.
While refuting the first part of the report, Fadzil, however, reaffirmed the second part, saying that PAS will focus on matters contained in the BA manifesto.
Yesterday, malaysiakini reported that talks between BA leaders to resolve the controversy surrounding the coalition's stand on the Islamic state issue was at a deadlock with PAS refusing to agree to a joint statement.
The joint statement was aimed at reassuring BA supporters that the coalition would not establish an Islamic state if it came to power and that it would stand firmly by the BA common manifesto agreed upon in 1999.
Statement soon
A BA source told malaysiakini yesterday that while Keadilan, PRM and DAP were keen on the joint statement, PAS wanted to deliberate further on the issue, thus resulting in no firm decision by BA.
Fadzil said yesterday BA is expected to sign a joint statement on the Islamic state issue soon.
PAS president Fadzil Noor yesterday denied that the party is prepared to temporarily set aside its plan for an Islamic state as reported in an English daily under the headline 'Islamic state plan deferred'.
The Star yesterday reported that PAS is prepared to set aside its plan for an Islamic state for the time being and continue to focus on issues that have been highlighted in the Barisan Alternatif (BA) 1999 election manifesto.
While refuting the first part of the report, Fadzil, however, reaffirmed the second part, saying that PAS will focus on matters contained in the BA manifesto.
Yesterday, malaysiakini reported that talks between BA leaders to resolve the controversy surrounding the coalition's stand on the Islamic state issue was at a deadlock with PAS refusing to agree to a joint statement.
The joint statement was aimed at reassuring BA supporters that the coalition would not establish an Islamic state if it came to power and that it would stand firmly by the BA common manifesto agreed upon in 1999.
Statement soon
A BA source told malaysiakini yesterday that while Keadilan, PRM and DAP were keen on the joint statement, PAS wanted to deliberate further on the issue, thus resulting in no firm decision by BA.
Fadzil said yesterday BA is expected to sign a joint statement on the Islamic state issue soon.
"We have agreed to stand by our common manifesto. As far as our stand on the Islamic state issue is concerned, we'll have to wait till the meeting between top BA leaders is held," he told malaysiakini .
"Please wait for our statement which we will announce soon. I am not sure as to the exact date but it will be soon," he said.
The Islamic state conflict between PAS and DAP erupted when PAS deputy president Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also Terengganu Mentri Besar, insisted that PAS will not change its stand with regard to establishing an Islamic state if it comes to power.
