PAS veep rejects Maszlee's offer to join Anwar's 'sinking ship'

Summary

• Idris Ahmad rejects overtures by PKR leader Maszlee Malik for PAS to join the coalition government.

• The PAS veep says party would never sell its dignity for power, especially when offer comes from a “sinking ship”.

PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad has slammed PKR leader Maszlee Malik for suggesting the party should join the coalition government.

This followed Maszlee’s comment to Malaysiakini earlier today, where the former education minister said PAS would be better off if they supported the Anwar Ibrahim administration, including potentially getting a deputy prime minister post.

In a Facebook post, Idris (above) said PAS would never sell its dignity for power, let alone when such an offer comes from “a sinking ship”.

“You are inviting PAS onto a leaky ship and want to offer us a deputy prime minister position as a life jacket?

“Sorry, PAS does not sell its dignity for positions.

“The rakyat has sent a clear message during the ‘Turun Anwar’ rally on Saturday, it proved that the rakyat is with Perikatan Nasional,” he said.

‘Crisis of rakyat confidence’

According to the Bagan Serai MP, the PN supreme council held a meeting on July 25, where it was made clear that they would never work with the government “that is drowning in a crisis of rakyat confidence.”

Idris also expressed that he was puzzled by Maszlee’s suggestion.

“Was he dreaming, or was he given a special task to shift people’s attention from their sinking ship?”

Earlier today, Maszlee suggested that PAS should abandon PN and support Anwar’s leadership instead.

In responding to an earlier statement by PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin, Maszlee claimed it was clear that the Islamist party had no confidence in Bersatu leaders Muhyiddin Yassin and Hamzah Zainudin to be their prime minister candidate.

Burning holes

Bersatu supreme council member Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal refuted the claim that PAS is not confident in Muhyiddin and Hamzah.

According to the Machang MP, it was PAS who nominated Hamzah to be the opposition chief despite the party having more MPs.

“If PAS is not confident in Hamzah and Muhyiddin, why would they name a Bersatu leader? Surely they would have named one of their own.

“This showed that PAS appreciates Bersatu’s strategic value in PN,” he said.

It is also not strategic for PAS to abandon Bersatu just so they could get a deputy prime minister position from Anwar, Wan Fayhsal added.

“PAS would burn holes in their grassroots support if they leave Bersatu for a DPM seat.

“It would be a foolish exercise,” he said.

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