KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the party’s alliance with Gagasan Sejahtera is more of cooperation than a coalition.
He said it’s a loose alliance that has no fixed rules, and as such, there is no binding law for either to follow the other’s wishes.
“Our alliance with Gagasan Sejahtera is one that does not have conditions or rules binding us. It is loose cooperation and not a coalition.
“That’s why many things are not binding. Our relationship is more about having discussions and as friends, we try to respect each others' views. It’s moral politics,” said Hadi during the launch of Harakah Daily’s new website.
“When it comes to moral politics, we must respect the wishes of others and from there we can assess the party’s discipline.”
Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) president Datuk Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz announced that he will run for the Tanjung Piai by-election as he was disappointed with Barisan Nasional (BN) for fielding a Chinese candidate instead of a Malay one.
The PAS ally, who is also a committee member of Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), claimed that the BN leadership did not meet the aspirations of Malay Muslims by choosing MCA’s Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng.
Hadi said yesterday he disagreed with Badhrulhisham for contesting and is studying PAS’ cooperation with Berjasa.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan had reportedly told members to not give Berjasa “a single vote”.
“In Muafakat Nasional, the coalition of Umno-PAS is like BN-Gagasan Sejahtera. When we say Gagasan Sejahtera it means PAS, Parti Ikatan and Berjasa. When we say Umno then it includes MCA and MIC.
“In the context of this by-election when we decided the seat should be represented by BN, PAS said we will accept whomever they select,” Takiyuddin said.
“This way we ensure no parties are fighting with each other. We accept the candidacy. That’s why when Berjasa made the decision through the party to put a candidate, the president already said this is not acceptable because we have an agreement and we are bound by whatever agreement we have signed.”
The Tanjung Piai constituency is a mixed seat comprising 57 per cent Malays, 42 per cent Chinese and 1 per cent Indians.
It’s set to be a six-cornered fight.
Defending the seat for Pakatan Harapan is Tanjung Piai Bersatu chief Karmaine Sardini, against the constituency’s former MP Wee while Gerakan is fielding its deputy secretary-general Wendy Subramaniam. Two independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar make up the six.
