PERMATANG PAUH, April 14 — The Permatang Pauh by-election will be the best chance for Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to show the nation that it remains united and strong, despite talk of its imminent split over key policy issues, said PAS’s Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

The Parit Buntar MP said the poll, set for May 7, can be used as the opposition pact’s platform to prove to Malaysians that “PR is still alive and kicking”.

“PAS remains committed to PR no matter what, especially in the Permatang Pauh by-election so don’t believe Barisan Nasional’s (BN) diversion tactics by spreading rumors of PR breaking up,” he said in his speech at the launch of PKR’s by-election machinery tonight.

The Penang PAS deputy commissioner said Umno will likely use recent troubles in PR to divert from the many issues currently plaguing its administration such as 1MDB’s debt problems, the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the highly-criticised anti-terrorism act.

Advertisement

He accused Umno of spreading false rumours of a possible PR break-up to cover up their own incompetence that he claimed has led to the country’s decline.

“I was told that Penang Umno has asked us to campaign with them in the by-election and I would like to tell them, don’t be delusional that we will ever work with them,” he said.

He told Penang Umno that instead, PAS will do all it can to ensure that Umno loses the by-election.

Advertisement

“We are 100 per cent behind PKR in this by-election,” he said.

PR also unveiled tonight its theme for the by-election, which was coined “Demi rakyat, bantah GST, tegakkan keadilan” (oppose GST, uphold justice for the people).

Other PR leaders including Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also took to the stage to deliver speeches criticising the GST and how its implementation has negatively affected the people and the nation’s economy.

Azmin concurred with Mujahid that PR still remains united and able to take on its foes in the coming by-election.

“We want to state that we remain united even though BN would like to see us fall,” he said.