PAS must look at the participation of ex-PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's visit to Gaza as a model of cooperation between the government and the opposition, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the move could serve as a model for cooperation between Hamas and Fatah.

"PAS should not prioritise politics to the extent of sacking Nasharuddin, who is also Bachok MP, from its Syura Council.

"It should have been made a model of cooperation for people to see Malaysian Muslims, even from the opposition, cooperating with the government to bring the message of universal peace.

"On the other hand, PAS doesn't like to see a PAS leader cooperating with BN to become an example for the two parties (Fatah and Hamas).

"If we ourselves cannot reconcile, how are we to ask people to do so," he told reporters after launching the book ‘Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority-Strength In Collaboration' in Kuala Lumpur today.

Asked if Nasharuddin had to change his platform of struggle, namely, get out of PAS, Mahathir said, it was up to Nasharudin.

Syura Council secretary Datuk Nik Zawawi Nik Salleh was reported as saying on Sunday that Nasharuddin was dropped because he was found to have contravened congregation regulations stipulated by the council.

He said the decision was made on Jan 13 in a meeting which was chaired by PAS' Spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. -

Bernama