Bersatu-PAS ties unaffected by latter's sudden defence of Najib

Summary

• Bersatu leaders say the party's ties with PAS are not affected by the latter's defence of Najib Abdul Razak.

• They said that solidarity with Najib is merely on the royal addendum issue, while PN's position on the 1MDB scandal remains unchanged.

• The leaders also accuse the government of failing to act on the royal addendum.

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Bersatu has no issues with PAS' aggressive stance on defending the validity of the royal decree regarding former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's house arrest.

Bersatu supreme council member Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said Perikatan Nasional leaders’ position on the 1MDB scandal remains consistent, despite attending a solidarity rally for Najib at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya last Monday.

He said PN leaders participated in the gathering because the royal addendum Najib was fighting to have enforced was a matter of public interest.

“I don’t think there’s any issue concerning PAS-Bersatu relations because the rally involving PN leaders isn’t about Najib as an Umno politician but rather about his plight and efforts to hold the government accountable for ‘dishonesty’.

“The government has been stalling for nearly a year regarding the existence of the royal addendum. Our position as PN leaders is rooted in upholding justice and respecting the royal institution.

“Our presence reflects broader concerns about public interest and the rule of law, and we’re aligned on this matter,” he told Malaysiakini.

Wan Fayhsal was commenting on whether PAS’ defence of Najib might affect its relationship with Bersatu.

On Monday, PAS led a rally in solidarity with Najib, who had a Court of Appeal hearing in regard to the addendum.

Bersatu leaders, including Wan Fayhsal, were also present.

The Court of Appeal granted Najib leave to initiate a judicial review to compel the government and six other parties to answer and confirm the existence of a royal addendum issued in January last year.

The decree approved by the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah would allow Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence for the RM42 million SRC International corruption case, under house arrest.

‘Honouring king’s decree’

Separately, Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz also said the relationship between PAS and Bersatu remains unaffected as both parties gathered to honour the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree.

“Why would there be an issue? Both parties rallied to honour the royal decree. It’s not a problem. PAS merely organised it.

“The rally was held because the government failed to act on the royal addendum.

“So, there’s no issue. Bersatu and PAS share the same objective of upholding the royal decree and the Federal Constitution... the only difference lies with Umno, I think, which now has two factions - the original Umno and what I call ‘UmDAP’,” he said.

Umno was the original organiser of the solidarity rally.

However, the party's top leadership cancelled the event in deference to a statement from the Istana Negara last Friday saying that all clemency bids must go through the Pardons Board.

Despite this, many Umno leaders and grassroots members turned up to rally in support of Najib, together with PAS.

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