KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — The Umno-PAS alliance in the name of Muslim unity is unlikely to survive the testy territorial negotiations for the next general election, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli predicted.
The PKR vice-president said he was amused by Umno and PAS’s current show of solidarity and cooperation, especially since the latter went through great pains before 14th General Election to deny the existence of any chance of “unity government” with the former.
“I am just smiling to myself, looking at Umno and PAS people shouting slogans like ‘unity of the ummah’ just to achieve political gain.
“Now you are brothers. Wait until the time comes to allocate seats for GE15. PAS will want this seat, Umno will want that seat, then they will fight to no end,” he said in a series of tweets today.
Rafizi added that the Islamists’ previous denial of any alliance with Umno was no longer credible since one of its leaders admitted to funds flowing from Umno to PAS.
“Before GE14, PAS supporters denied any Unity Government (UG) with Umno.
“But behind them, money flowed from Umno to PAS (refer to YB Nik Abduh’s admission),” Rafizi added.
Saya senyum je tengok org Umno & PAS melaungkan “perpaduan ummah” demi matlamat politik.
— Rafizi Ramli (@rafiziramli) February 14, 2019
Skrg bersaudaralah.
Tunggu nak agih kerusi menjelang PRU15.
PAS umum nak kerusi tu, Umno umum nak kerusi ni.
Terus bergaduh tak sudah2.
Yesterday, Pasir Mas MP Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz said party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang gave his “blessings” for him to deny a controversial audio recording in which he stated the Islamist party had received millions of ringgit from rival Umno.
Nik Abduh said he initially wanted to admit to the recording but realised that it would be used by detractors to destroy PAS.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan on Monday confirmed that Nik Abduh was the speaker in the clip but claimed the remarks were taken out of context.
On Tuesday, Hadi claimed Nik Abduh was speaking hypothetically.
The man in the audio recording had discussed receiving RM2 million from Umno, which Sarawak Report (SR) editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown produced as evidence to back her allegation that PAS took RM90 million from then Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Hadi filed a defamation suit in London against Rewcastle-Brown two years ago over the allegation but suddenly abandoned it last month in an out-of-court settlement.
Nik Abduh in April last year denied he was the person in the recording, and claimed the audio was fabricated to tarnish his image.
“Behind the scenes, there has always been an alliance and cooperation together (between PAS and Umno) to enter GE14. But it failed,” Rafizi claimed.
