Utusan: Hadi's presidency must be defended
Published: Jan 23, 2015 1:37 PM | Updated: Jan 23, 2015 1:44 PM
Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia warned today that if PAS does not defend the leadership of its president Abdul Hadi Awang, then the Islamist party could see signs of losing out on religious scholars in the party leadership in the near future.
In its editorial written by senior news editor Zulkiflee Bakar, Utusan said if this happened, the dignity of the party would also suffer a loss.
Or else the party's dignity will suffer, the Umno-owned daily says in an editorial.
Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia warned today that if PAS does not defend the leadership of its president Abdul Hadi Awang, then the Islamist party could see signs of losing out on religious scholars in the party leadership in the near future.
In its editorial written by senior news editor Zulkiflee Bakar, Utusan said if this happened, the dignity of the party would also suffer a loss.
Zulkiflee said Hadi, 67, was still needed by PAS for his leadership qualities, for in his 11 years as the president, Hadi had brought much success to the party, including becoming Terengganu menteri besar, albeit for only one term.
It was also under Hadi's stewardship that PAS won big in general elections, winning Kedah in 2008 and forming the Perak and Selangor coalition governments, also in 2008.
'Problems caused by ties with PKR, DAP'
“Hence, all PAS members should defend Hadi's presidency. Efforts to remove him from the president's post just because he is steadfast in the party struggle is unwise. PAS is already plagued with problems.
“PAS leaders and members can argue but they cannot deny that the present problem is caused by its political ties with (its Pakatan Rakyat allies) the PKR and DAP,” Zulkiflee says in the editorial.
He said it could not be denied that political cooperation among PAS, PKR and DAP had benefitted PAS, but some could argue it hurts PAS more than it brings out the good.
Zulkiflee said PAS was always asked to give in and lose out to the other two political parties, even though this was detrimental to PAS.
“What Hadi did regarding the Selangor menteri besar crisis is a signal that they should not bully PAS. It should not be treated in such a way as it has its own dignity and its own strength. PAS will not die if it does not stick with PKR or DAP, but PKR may eventually lose out without PAS,” he adds in the editorial.
In its editorial written by senior news editor Zulkiflee Bakar, Utusan said if this happened, the dignity of the party would also suffer a loss.
Zulkiflee said Hadi, 67, was still needed by PAS for his leadership qualities, for in his 11 years as the president, Hadi had brought much success to the party, including becoming Terengganu menteri besar, albeit for only one term.
It was also under Hadi's stewardship that PAS won big in general elections, winning Kedah in 2008 and forming the Perak and Selangor coalition governments, also in 2008.
'Problems caused by ties with PKR, DAP'
“Hence, all PAS members should defend Hadi's presidency. Efforts to remove him from the president's post just because he is steadfast in the party struggle is unwise. PAS is already plagued with problems.
“PAS leaders and members can argue but they cannot deny that the present problem is caused by its political ties with (its Pakatan Rakyat allies) the PKR and DAP,” Zulkiflee says in the editorial.
He said it could not be denied that political cooperation among PAS, PKR and DAP had benefitted PAS, but some could argue it hurts PAS more than it brings out the good.
Zulkiflee said PAS was always asked to give in and lose out to the other two political parties, even though this was detrimental to PAS.
“What Hadi did regarding the Selangor menteri besar crisis is a signal that they should not bully PAS. It should not be treated in such a way as it has its own dignity and its own strength. PAS will not die if it does not stick with PKR or DAP, but PKR may eventually lose out without PAS,” he adds in the editorial.
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