MUKTAMAR Difference of views within PAS was allowed to escalate into a crisis due to poor management of the situation, admitted PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat.
 
Referring to disagreements within the party on the Selangor crisis, he said the party appeared not to have a crisis management plan.
 
"Differences of opinions in PAS were not managed well until it developed into a serious crisis.
 
"More unfortunate is when our neighbour has an internal problem, it is our own house that has become a mess," he said in his policy speech at the opening of the 55th PAS Youth muktamar in Kota Tinggi this afternoon.
 
He lamented that some party members had resorted to using social media to launch attacks on each other or even leaking party information.
 
"People shake their heads when they see our poor crisis management to an extent where a small wound becomes purulent," said Suhaizan (left), who is seen as a pro-Pakatan leader in PAS.
 
Even though the PAS central committee has decided to back PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Azmin Ali as candidates for Selangor menteri besar, its party president has been at odds with the executive decision making body.
 
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, backed by the Syura Council, had overruled the central committee and submitted his own names as candidates for menteri besar to the Selangor palace.
 
Nonetheless, Suhaizan said it was "saddening" that certain quarters, within and outside the party, had belittled the powerful Syura Council.
 
"Nonetheless, we are not too late, I am confident change can be made to strengthen the party's management.
 
"The Syura Council needs to be strengthened to continue to guide the party so that it does not stray from Islamic principles," he said.
 
He urged party members not to label or call each other names and instead adopt "gentleman politics".
 
Suhaizan urged the Youth wings within Pakatan Rakyat to "cool down" the situation in Selangor and urged a swift resolution to the problem before it escalates further.
 
He added that polls have shown that Pakatan's support had fallen due to the crisis and a quick resolution was required to prevent it from translating into a loss of votes in the 14th general election.