'No DAP, no Anwar' - PAS spiritual leader rubbishes joining federal govt talk

PAS will not entertain any invitation from Umno to be part of the coalition government, which currently includes DAP.

The Islamist party’s spiritual leader Hashim Jasin recalled how the party had previously tried working with DAP but failed.

“We (PAS) have tried (working) with DAP, we were once friends. I remember when former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng said he would rule like (Caliph) Umar Abdul Aziz.

“When he said that, I was driven to be friends (with Lim/DAP). I used to hug Lim, whenever we met at public functions.

“But his words turned out to be lies, he had other agendas,” Hashim was quoted telling Harakah Daily.

According to him, this eventually led the party’s syura council to decide to sever ties with DAP.

“When we have taken this decision after knowing DAP, now Umno wants us to be together again? I think even if we brought this matter up to the syura council, no one would back PAS working with DAP again.

“That’s why we (PAS) don’t want DAP, or (Prime Minister) Anwar (Ibrahim),” said Hashim.

Talks underway?

Earlier this week, Utusan Malaysia quoted Hashim saying that PAS has to weigh the pros and cons of joining the federal government, following efforts from certain parties to invite PAS.

Hashim, however, did not disclose who had made the invitation, saying that the matter was also raised in the Islamist party’s ulama council but that it was only briefly discussed and there has not been any final decision about it.

It should be noted that PAS’ most senior leaders have, in recent times, publicly rejected the idea.

Hashim claimed that the party, which has the most seats in the Dewan Rakyat, could certainly help strengthen the government’s position.

At last year’s PAS annual assembly, party president Abdul Hadi Awang emphatically rejected the idea, denouncing the Madani administration as being full of prisoners, corrupt people, and a court cluster.

In June, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil neither confirmed nor denied rumours that PAS may join the coalition government but he emphasised that there are numerous discussions between the government and opposition, particularly involving state leaders.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man swiftly denied this, confirming the party has no plans to join the Pakatan Harapan-BN coalition government.

“I want to make an affirmative statement, PAS will not join the Harapan-BN government.

“There was no consultation, there was no discussion, internal party meeting or together with Perikatan Nasional,” he said.

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