Following the sacking of 300 village development and security (JKKK) committee members from PAS, the Islamic party has now declared itself as part of the opposition in Penang.

"The act of firing the JKKK members was not something beneficial to the people... they may not have replacements to continue their service.

"One cannot deny that PAS, together with Pakatan Rakyat, had contributed to the victory of the DAP-ruled state government... even though we have only state seat, we have members all over the state," PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said today.

"Now, we have no choice and we need to act as an opposition in the Penang state government. We are the opposition at the state level," Takiyuddin told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

However, he denied the party would join forces with Penang Umno, which is the opposition in the state.

"We are on our own. Umno is Umno. We fight Umno. We are a mature and responsible opposition, which distinguishes us from the other opposition parties," Takiyuddin said.

Elaborating further, Takiyuddin said PAS will continue to serve the rakyat despite its 300 JKKK members being sacked.

"We will look for our own funding knowing that the state government will no longer give us allocations," he said.

"We will raise the people's issues for the government to follow up. Failing so, we will come out with more drastic action," he vowed.

PAS has a total of 1,083 JKKK members.

Amendment objection poser

Takiyuddin also denied that PAS state assemblypersons in Terengganu did not oppose the amendment to the Malay Reserve Land Enactment which allows Umno to takeover ownership of such land in the state.

He said the party's representatives did state their objection in the state assembly through a voice vote in May.

Takiyuddin said this in answering Amanah Sepang parliamentarian Hanipa Maidin who asked why Terengganu opposition leader Abdul Hadi Awang present to stop the enactment from being bulldozed through.

There is 14 PAS state assemblypersons in Terengganu in the 32-seat assembly. BN has 17 reps while PKR has one.