KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — Nasharudin Mat Isa continued to come under pressure as 10 PAS lawmakers today declared their support for spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat in opposing the unity government idea.
“We fully support Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s stand on this matter,” the MPs said in a joint statement.
Led by Kuala Krai MP Dr Hatta Ramli, they declared their commitment to uphold the decision of the last muktamar to strengthen Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
The statement came just hours after two vice-presidents, Datuk Mahfuz Omar and Salahudin Ayub, urged Nasharudin to meet Nik Aziz to resolve the matter.
“Anyone who wants to work for a unity government is going against the muktamar. If the idea is pursued, it has to be done outside the party,” said Khalid Samad, the PAS MP for Shah Alam.
The 10 lawmakers represent a majority of the party’s 19 MPs who are not in the top leadership. The remaining four MPs – PAS has a total of 23 – are party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Nasharudin and the party vice-presidents who have so far remained neutral on the issue.
Other than Mahfuz and Salahudin, the MPs who endorsed the statement are Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor), Kamarudin Jaffar (Tumpat), Siti Zailah Yusof (Rantau Panjang), Dr Mariah Mahmud (Kota Raja), Dr Lo’lo’ Ghazali (Titiwangsa), Dr Mohd Hayati Othman (Pendang), Taib Azamudden (Baling), Mujahid Yusof Rawa (Parit Buntar).
Yesterday, Nik Aziz asked Nasharudin, who was elected deputy president for a third term in the recent party elections, to resign as lawmaker and leave the party if he wanted to pursue the idea of a unity government.
Nik Aziz made the statement after Nasharudin welcomed Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s remark that PAS was sincere in wanting to form unity government.
Today, the influential Kelantan mentri besar said he would call for a meeting soon with Nasharudin and party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang to resolve their differences.
Nik Aziz told reporters in Kota Baru that Nasharudin has yet to contact him.
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