Present-day PAS is not the party of its early leaders, with former enemies embraced as close allies, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.     
The former prime minister accused PAS of no longer focusing on upholding Islam and was more concerned with defending the DAP.     
The thinking of the Malays in PAS now was far different from what it was under past presidents like Prof Burhanuddin Al-Helmi and Asri Muda, he said when opening the Cheras Umno division delegates meeting in Kuala Lumpur.     

Dr Mahathir said that PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat "once could not bear to even look" at DAP chairman Karpal Singh for opposing the setting up of an Islamic state.     

Now, he had become a stout defender of the DAP, Dr Mahathir said.

He said the split in the Malay community had begun with PAS when ulamas quit Umno to form the Islamic party.     

"The reason (they left) was that people conversant in English were given a (high) place while those fluent in Arabic felt left out," Dr Mahathir said.     

- Bernama