Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali has taken issue with the PAS syura council for accusing PKR of working against the agenda of Islam and raised this matter with PAS leaders at a private meeting yesterday.

According to The Star, Azmin had also asked the three PAS state cabinet members in his government to resign.

Azmin yesterday morning summoned Selangor PAS commissioner Sallehen Mukhyi and the three Selangor exco members from the party to the state secretariat building, but kept mum to reporters on what transpired in the meeting.

However, sources told Malaysiakini that Azmin had disputed the syura council's claim at the meeting with the Selangor PAS leaders.

The syura council on Thursday endorsed the decision taken at last week’s party muktamar (annual general assembly) to sever ties with PKR.

Among the reasons given to justify the move was that PKR had worked against the Islamic agenda by refusing to support PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's private member's bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355).

The motion to amend Act 355 seeks to increase the maximum punishment that can be meted out by the syariah courts - from three years' imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the rotan to 30 years' imprisonment, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the rotan.

Azmin pointed out to the Selangor PAS leaders that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had, in a statement on April 8, clearly expressed that he was, in principle, open to empowering the syariah courts.

However, Anwar had called for a more holistic reform to the syariah courts, without any over-emphasis on the punishments.

"Based on (Anwar's) April 8 statement, PKR could not accept the grounds of the syura council that it had betrayed the political cooperation with PAS," said the source.

The source said Azmin made clear his disappointment over the development to the PAS exco members.

The contents of the meeting, said the source, including the reaction of the Selangor PAS leaders, would be brought to the attention to PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

This is to help PKR to decide on its next move following PAS' decision to sever ties with it.

Despite the syura council's decision, Selangor PAS has insisted that it would not withdraw from the PKR-led Selangor government.

Azmin has until yesterday remained diplomatic, stating that there was no need for the PAS exco members to quit.

The three PAS exco members are Iskandar Abdul Samad, Zaidy Abdul Talib and Ahmad Yunus Hairi.

However, Azmin conceded that Pakatan Harapan may need to take on PAS in multi-cornered fights in the next general election.