Don't form splinter party, pleads PAS No 2
Nigel AwPublished: Sep 16, 2014 10:00 AM | Updated: Sep 17, 2014 2:32 AM
MUKTAMAR PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today appealed not to allow any disagreements to lead to the creation of a splinter Islamic party.
MUKTAMAR PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today appealed not to allow any disagreements to lead to the creation of a splinter Islamic party.
In his opening speech at the 55th PAS Youth muktamar this afternoon, he warned that a splinter group will "greatly weaken" PAS.
"Whatever differences of views, do not set up another Islamic political party.
"But if it is an NGO, then never mind. Create as many NGOs to support Pakatan Rakyat, that is better," he told the delegates in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu (right), did not mention names but appeared to be referring to the Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa).
PasMa was set up following a split in PAS over the Selangor crisis where PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had overruled the party's central committee on the mater.
PasMa president Pharolrazi Zawawi has repeatedly insisted that the organisation is to lobby cooperation with Pakatan and does not intend to turn it into a political party.
Terengganu and Federal Territories PAS have issued directives to its members not to participate in any PasMa events.
"Our friends who are in NGOs, (do) criticise us, give your views, reprimand us, but do not do anything that will be detrimental to PAS' strength," said Mohamad.
Drawing example from Indonesia, Mohamad said the republic had several Islamic parties but could not muster enough strength as they were split.
"Alhamdulillah in Malaysia, there is only one Islamic party which is PAS.
"Even with the slightest split, we will suffer," he said.
'Losing friends means losing elections'
Mohamad also noted how Berjasa had split from PAS in the 1978 election, ultimately dwindling the number of PAS state seats to a meagre two.
Similarly, he said, history has proven that PAS abandoning cooperation with other opposition parties has seen its support dwindle.
As evidence, he pointed to the party's defeat in Terengganu in 1999 when Barisan Alternatif disintegrated.
In contrast, he said PAS and its allies won five states under Pakatan Rakyat in 2008 and captured 52 percent of the popular vote in 2013 even though it only won three states.
"This means when we lose friends, our votes drop and when we make friends, our votes increase. This is Malaysian politics since 1955," he said.
As such, Mohamad stressed that the Pakatan coalition should be maintained and PAS should not go with Umno.
"If Umno offers us their hand, we will slap it," he declared to cheers from the floor.
In his opening speech at the 55th PAS Youth muktamar this afternoon, he warned that a splinter group will "greatly weaken" PAS.
"Whatever differences of views, do not set up another Islamic political party.
"But if it is an NGO, then never mind. Create as many NGOs to support Pakatan Rakyat, that is better," he told the delegates in Kota Tinggi, Johor.Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu (right), did not mention names but appeared to be referring to the Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa).
PasMa was set up following a split in PAS over the Selangor crisis where PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had overruled the party's central committee on the mater.
PasMa president Pharolrazi Zawawi has repeatedly insisted that the organisation is to lobby cooperation with Pakatan and does not intend to turn it into a political party.
Terengganu and Federal Territories PAS have issued directives to its members not to participate in any PasMa events.
"Our friends who are in NGOs, (do) criticise us, give your views, reprimand us, but do not do anything that will be detrimental to PAS' strength," said Mohamad.
Drawing example from Indonesia, Mohamad said the republic had several Islamic parties but could not muster enough strength as they were split.
"Alhamdulillah in Malaysia, there is only one Islamic party which is PAS.
"Even with the slightest split, we will suffer," he said.
'Losing friends means losing elections'
Mohamad also noted how Berjasa had split from PAS in the 1978 election, ultimately dwindling the number of PAS state seats to a meagre two.
Similarly, he said, history has proven that PAS abandoning cooperation with other opposition parties has seen its support dwindle.
As evidence, he pointed to the party's defeat in Terengganu in 1999 when Barisan Alternatif disintegrated.
In contrast, he said PAS and its allies won five states under Pakatan Rakyat in 2008 and captured 52 percent of the popular vote in 2013 even though it only won three states.
"This means when we lose friends, our votes drop and when we make friends, our votes increase. This is Malaysian politics since 1955," he said.
As such, Mohamad stressed that the Pakatan coalition should be maintained and PAS should not go with Umno.
"If Umno offers us their hand, we will slap it," he declared to cheers from the floor.
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