SHAH ALAM, July 19 — PKR has not decided whether it will support the new movement by ousted PAS progressives called Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB), Azmin Ali said today.

The PKR deputy president also said his party’s leadership has not discussed its official position on the movement that is shaping to be a potential rival to ally PAS.

“It is not a question of personal (support), it is a question of a party decision that needs to be brought to the political bureau for discussion,” he said briefly on the sidelines of the Selangor government’s Hari Raya open house here.

Earlier last week, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli declared that he will support the GHB in their planned roadshow to promote the nascent movement.

Rafizi was quoted by Malay daily Sinar Harian as saying on July 15 that the setting up of GHB was a welcome addition to efforts to unseat Umno from political power.

Azmin, who is also Selangor mentri besar, said today that he will not get involved in internal squabbles between PAS’s ulama and progressive factions, putting faith in the Islamist party’s ability to settle the issue amicably ahead of the 14^th general election.

“We need strong unity in Pakatan Rakyat,” he said.

GHB recently indicated that it is planning to set up its base of operations in the Umno stronghold of Johor, about a month after PAS leaders linked to the group confirmed that they are in talks to form a new political party centred on Islamic principles.

The group of PAS progressives, however, said they will have “nothing to do” with lobby group Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa).

PasMa had previously reiterated that it will remain as an internal pressure group in PAS, but will help lead the effort to form a new Islamic party to replace PAS in a new federal opposition pact with PKR and DAP.

Yesterday, PAS said it will not cooperate with GHB, with the party’s deputy spiritual leader Datuk Ahmad Yakob saying that the movement was a new entity which had yet to clarify the principles of its struggle.

“We cannot be on the same platform because they are a new party.  Nevertheless, we are ready to fight them in the general election,” he told reporters.