MUKTAMAR The political cooperation within Pakatan Rakyat never breached any Islamic principle so as to cause PAS to abandon the coalition, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said today.

"To date, there has yet to be a breach in terms of policy matters," Hadi told a press conference after the official opening of the party's 60th muktamar in Batu Pahat, Johor, today.

He said this when asked whether Pakatan parties had gone against Islamic principles.

The question was raised in relation to Hadi’s policy speech in which he said PAS would remain with the coalition only if Islamic principles are not breached.

Had has said in his speech that the principles of cooperation had been set by the party's Majlis Syura, which determines the parameters of cooperation with Pakatan.

Hadi said the parties in Pakatan have their own ideologies and they respected one another.

'We have common principles'

"We have common principles of upholding democracy and to ensure justice for all. These are our common grounds, and there are no contradictions," he said.

Also present at the press conference were PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and secretary-general Mustafa Ali (left).

Earlier, in his speech to the delegates, Hadi asked his Pakatan partners not to betray PAS.

The call came amid strained relations following disagreement on who should be the next menteri besar of Selangor.

The disagreement has even caused a split between pro-Pakatan leaders and conservatives in PAS.

However, Hadi laughed off speculation at the press conference today that his relations with Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, were strained.

"How can I sit beside him if I cannot click (tak ngam) with him?" he laughed along with Mat Sabu.

"Seeing is believing," added Mustafa.

Mat Sabu has earned scorn from conservative groups in PAS, more so after he called on the party's clerics to not only focus on religion but to "improve" themselves on other issues.

A small group of conservatives had even walked out on Mohamad's opening speech during the PAS Youth muktamar on Tuesday.

However, Hadi, who was asked to weigh into the matter today, concurred with Mat Sabu.

"It is the responsibility of clerics to improve their knowledge, including religious knowledge, and to understand current issues," he said.

Hadi also played down the absence of the top leaders of PKR and DAP's from the official opening of the muktamar today.

He said PKR two vice-presidents, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin and Tian Chua, were senior enough to represent its central leadership.

However, DAP only sent its state leader, the Johor chief Liew Chin Tong.

"They are busy," added Mustafa.

Hadi said he was confident Pakatan would recover from the Selangor crisis.

He stressed that the resolution to the crisis would ultimately depend on the Selangor sultan as to who should be the next menteri besar of Selangor.


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