KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has rejected claims that the party is driving non-Malay voters away from Perikatan Nasional (PN), saying such perceptions are inaccurate and not supported by the coalition’s election performance.

He said views portraying PAS as the reason non-Malays feel fearful and do not support PN were not based on facts, pointing to PN’s results in several elections as evidence of continued cross-racial backing.

According to Tuan Ibrahim, PN’s success in winning states such as Kedah, Perlis and Terengganu showed that support from the public, including non-Malays, still exists and is growing.

“If one were to say that PAS has failed and is the reason non-Malays do not support PN, that analysis is inaccurate.

“The reality is that even before PAS led PN, there were parties that still failed to attract non-Malay support.

“What is important is that all component parties move together under the PN umbrella, not act individually as separate parties,” he said when met by Sinar Harian in Bangi today.

On Thursday, media reports quoted Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan as claiming that there were concerns among members and leaders of Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) should PAS lead PN.

Wan Saiful said the two parties believed it could be difficult for them to continue attracting non-Malay support if PAS were to head the coalition.

Responding to this, Tuan Ibrahim said all component parties must strengthen their groundwork and play a collective role to ensure PN continues to receive public backing.

“PN survives as a coalition. As long as we work as one team and evaluate matters based on achievements and governance, the issue of non-Malay support should not be used as an excuse,” he said.