Encounters of the THIGH kind

From Free Malaysia Today:

Forked-tongue PAS and a wishy-washy PKR

Mariam Mokhtar

December 16, 2015

Their leaders seem to lack principle, focus and direction.

PAS and PKR are parties which act like fish out of water. They flip and flop, gasping for oxygen. Is it any wonder that more and more Malaysians, including Malays, are attracted to DAP? Leaders of PKR and PAS appear to lack principle, focus and direction.

Last November, the PAS President, Abdul Hadi Awang, denied that he had entered into talks with Umno-Baru to form a unity government in Selangor. The allegation had been made by former PAS vice-president Husam Musa and confirmed by Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.

Why was this not revealed before the PAS muktamar? It might have resulted in a different outcome, and the conservative faction under Hadi may not have triumphed. The grassroots need to be reminded of the warning by the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that Umno-Baru is a party of “great liars” and that “Umno is like a cat that will pounce, take and then hide with its booty.”

Whilst PKR leaders act like failed peacemakers and PAS’ leaders are more interested in the afterlife, Umno-Baru acknowledges the strengths of DAP.

Umno-Baru knows that the sphere of influence exerted by DAP is increasing rapidly. That’s why it became the target of vilification during the 2015 Umno-Baru General Assembly. Irresponsible Umno-Baru politicians tried to instill fear with talk about the spilling of blood, invoking scenes of violence and racial clashes. This was accompanied by a warning about a party controlling Malaysia that has “no regard for the Malays, Islam or royalty.”

During the lacklustre general assembly, Umno President Najib Abdul Razak extended a hand of friendship to PAS, saying the idea was for the two parties to cooperate in the name of “protecting Islam and defending Malay interests.”

At the same time, Hadi expressed an interest in working with those who could further the principles of Islam, and he urged Umno-Baru to “repent” and return to the Islamic way of life.

Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, on behalf of the PAS Youth wing, responded positively to Najib’s overtures. He said, “We accept the prime minister’s offer because previously anything that was proposed by the opposition was rejected wholesale by those in power. We welcome the call for closer ties on condition that the cooperation is based on religious values, as religion is a core part of Malaysian life.”

Nik Abduh is not a chip off the old block. He has failed to heed his father’s warning about Umno-Baru. Moreover, Nik Abduh has, in the past, invited ridicule with statements like the floods being “a punishment from God” for Kelantan’s failure to implement hudud.

Then, to confuse matters, the PAS supporters’ wing chief, N Balasubramaniam, claimed that Hadi had told him that PAS had no intention of cooperating with Umno-Baru. He said, “I have confirmed with the president” that there would not be political cooperation with Umno-Baru.

More confusion ensued when the Kelantan Umno-Baru Liaison Committee chief, Mustapa Mohamed, dismissed a statement made by the PAS Deputy President, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, to the effect that Umno-Baru was dreaming if it was thinking of cooperation with PAS. Mustapa said that Umno-Baru and PAS had been collaborating for the past two years.

Which party is to be trusted? Will PAS decide which side of the political fence it wants to occupy? It cannot fall into bed with two opposing factions, Umno-Baru and the Pakatan Opposition coalition, unless this is PAS’ macabre version of a polygamous political marriage.

Is PKR masochistic? How much more of PAS’ betrayal can it bear? PAS leaders are seen as untrustworthy. Moreover, women, who comprise half the total population, have no time for a misogynistic politician like Hadi.

this image is not in FMT article wakakaka

just kaytee's inclusion wakakaka again 

Was Rafizi Ramli serious when he said that Pakatan Harapan had to “rope in PAS or risk losing the general election again”?

The problem is that the rakyat, including Malays, have this to say about PAS: “Once bitten, twice shy.” Rafizi and his mates need to return to the drawing board.

Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist

Read also Zaid's thumb down for UMNO, PAS & PKR