PETALING JAYA, June 9 — The rising tension due to the PAS’s unity proposal with Umno has shaken the fledgling Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang today conceded that PR "is facing its first crisis of confidence" since its euphoric electoral gains on March 8 last year where it denied the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) a two-thirds majority in Parliament by winning a record high 82 parliamentary seats and the government of five states.
Last weekend's PAS muktamar saw it reigniting the idea of a unity government with Umno and calling for the banning of Sisters In Islam (SIS), a feminist non-governmental organisation.
These proposals, especially the idea of cooperating with their hated foes, have resulted in friendly fire being aimed at the Islamist party.
"This is a test of the wisdom and capability of DAP, PKR and PAS leaders to measure up to the expectations of the people as expressed in the March general election last year to advance the cause of Pakatan Rakyat," Lim warned ahead of a PR leadership meeting scheduled for next week.
The Ipoh Timur MP wrote in his blog that he considered PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's policy speech themed "Islam leading change" at the general assembly "a great challenge to become a national party capable of representing the rights and interests of all citizens."
However, he said that speeches and resolutions focusing on Umno-PAS unity talks and the call for the ban of SIS "have however an opposite effect, creating a crisis of confidence in the Pakatan Rakyat among members, supporters and well-wishers."
The DAP stalwart also noted that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and other Umno leaders have been quick to "press home the advantage of using the Umno-PAS unity talks to split and undermine public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat."
While PR partners and supporters such as Datuk Zaid Ibrahim have chided PAS and in particular Hadi, PAS, on its part, appears to be slowly backtracking.
On Astro Awani last night, Khairy openly courted PAS to consider reinitiating talks but central committee member Mujahid Yusof Rawa, a last-minute replacement for pro-unity deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, declined his invitation.
No comments:
Post a Comment