PAS will punish, label anyone as anti-Islam just to be kingmaker, says Puad

PAS will punish, label anyone as anti-Islam just to be kingmaker, says Puad

AN UMNO leader has labelled PAS an “ugly kingmaker” who can change its fatwa to suit its political actions and would abandon whoever it wants.

UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi was responding to PAS election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s bold claim yesterday (Aug 30) that the Islamist party was a “kingmaker” that can determine the political expectancy of UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“According to Sanusi, Zahid’s political life expectancy can be long if he works with PAS. According to him, PAS is a kingmaker.

“That’s right, PAS is a kingmaker. But an ‘ugly kingmaker’. PAS can change its fatwa to whitewash its political actions. PAS will leave whoever it wants.

“PAS will punish and label anyone as anti-Islam just to be the kingmaker. PAS has become arrogant because it is now kingmaker to (Perikatan Nasional chairman) Muhyiddin (Yassin) and Bersatu,” Puad said in a Facebook post today (Aug 31).

Sanusi, who is also the Kedah Menteri Besar, said this in response to Zahid’s dismissal of any talk of UMNO reviving the Muafakat Nasional (MN) alliance with PAS, saying that the Islamic party may have hidden agendas behind such a move.

According to the Jeniri assemblyman, only PAS can save Zahid’s political career if the UMNO president works with the party.

Sanusi also went as far as to describe PAS as having great influence in determining the direction of any political party, adding that any political cooperation in the country would not succeed without PAS’ involvement.

“I think if you will not go anywhere if you do not seriously involve PAS, any political cooperation in Malaysia today needs PAS as a kingmaker,” Sanusi was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.

“If Zahid wishes to do anything without involving PAS, he will not be able to prolong his political career.”

He added that UMNO was now mired in a crisis under Zahid, as evident from the party’s rejection in the recently concluded state polls in Kedah which was a manifestation of rejection towards the latter’s leadership as well. – Aug 31, 2023