PAS calls for restraint, Ramasamy dares DAP to cut ties with Umno

As tensions between Umno and DAP escalate over the actions of Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh, PAS has stepped in to call for restraint, urging both parties not to drag the police or the public into their quarrel.

At the same time, Urimai pro-tem chairperson P Ramasamy turned his fire on his former party, challenging DAP to sever ties with Umno instead of merely “making noise without any real effect”.

Responding to DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke’s directive for his youth wing to lodge 11 police reports against Akmal, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan cautioned that such moves were excessive and risked heightening hostilities.

“As parties belonging to the same political coalition at both federal and state levels, DAP and Umno should resolve the matter internally without involving others - whether the police with unnecessary workload, or the public with unhealthy and unconstructive narratives.

“This is especially so since the issue arose merely from the act of an individual who hoisted the Jalur Gemilang upside down, which is already under police investigation.

“Unfortunately, it has been magnified by the reciprocal actions of both parties with their respective motives and justifications. For the record, PAS has firmly advised its youth wing not to get involved in the incident,” Takiyuddin (above) said in a statement.

Takiyuddin stressed that both sides must respect the ongoing investigation and avoid piling on additional pressure.

“Failure to do so by these two government parties will only cause us to drift further and may even drag us into greater risks and problems. Unwise and excessive actions by one side will only invite similar or worse responses from the other.

“An issue that initially concerned just one individual could spill over and drag the wider society into a destructive and endless cycle,” he cautioned.

‘Hypocrite’

Meanwhile, Ramasamy accused DAP of hypocrisy, arguing that allowing its youth wing to call only for severing ties with Umno Youth while maintaining ties with the parent body was untenable.

In a statement today, he said DAP knows full well that it cannot isolate the youth wing without implicating Umno as a whole.

“Akmal’s ruckus over the national flag issue was nothing more than an attempt to boost his popularity.

“Yet, instead of taking decisive action, Umno national leaders appear to be basking in the attention he has generated. His ability to stir tensions is a direct result of Umno’s inaction.

“And what of the DAP? Lacking the political courage to confront Umno as a whole, it targets only the youth wing. This selectivity betrays weakness.

"Some within DAP argue that cutting ties with Umno could destabilise the Pakatan Harapan-led coalition government. But the party cannot have its cake and eat it too,” Ramasamy said.

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