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PAS man: Umno splinter parties dominate Harapan
Published:  Jan 10, 2018 1:29 PM
Updated: 8:42 AM

Pakatan Harapan is not a coalition built on consensus because Bersatu and PKR are now the dominant forces, PAS central committee member Riduan Mohd Nor said.

He argued that not only were Bersatu and PKR allowed to field the most candidates, leaders of both parties were also the coalition's nominees for prime minister and deputy prime minister respectively.

"For Harapan, this is the best consensus by allowing two Umno splinter parties (Bersatu and PKR) to dominate (the coalition). Consensus, to them, means having the best or highest position,"  Riduan said in an article published in Harakah Daily today.

Harapan has tasked Bersatu with fielding 52 parliamentary candidates in Peninsular Malaysia, followed by PKR (51), DAP (35) and Amanah (27).

PKR, DAP and Amanah are expected to be allocated more seats in Sabah and Sarawak where negotiations with local parties are still taking place. Riduan's assessment does not account for this.

Riduan said Harapan would not be in consensus had the candidates for prime minister and deputy prime minister been from the younger generation or if the seat distribution had been more equitable.

Pakatan Rakyat mistreated PAS

He said Harapan's style of consensus was only aimed at fulfilling the needs of certain individuals, which will eventually lead to internal sabotage and Harapan's collapse.

"PAS went through this and was bullied in the same fashion by Pakatan Rakyat. PAS' victory was based on its funding, supporters, influence, platforms and strategies.

"In the end, PAS was marginalised. PAS had to sit on the sidelines while those in the middle were treated as the key leaders," said Riduan (photo).

"PAS was like an adopted child that was bullied and abused, although others piggy-backed on the seat and house that was built by PAS," he said.

Following Harapan's announcement of its seat allocation for Peninsular Malaysia, BN appeared to be in two minds over who exactly is the opposition coalition's top dog.

Numerous Umno leaders insisted that DAP was still the most dominating force in Harapan while MCA had claimed that it was now clear that Bersatu called the shots.

Offering a different take was Malay rights pressure group Perkasa, which claimed that PKR was, in fact, the Harapan boss by virtue of the "quality" of the seats it wanted to contest.

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