KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan today called out Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan for claiming the Islamist party had sought to destroy Umno after their Muafakat Nasional alliance failed to bear fruit in last year’s GE15.
Takiyuddin was responding to the Umno deputy president’s reported remarks yesterday at the launch of the Malay nationalist party’s ongoing general assembly.
“As a party that places Islam as its principle, PAS is always committed to approaching Umno in our effort to unite Muslims and Malays who make up the majority of this country.
“As a mainstream party, PAS will continue to act with open arms and is prepared to hold discussions and negotiations with any quarters by focusing on points of commonality and bridging the difference gap for the good of the people and country,” he said in a statement.
Takiyuddin said that contrary to Mohamad’s assertion, it was Umno that had been bent on eliminating PAS though various means, including trying to outlaw the Islamist party at one point.
Yesterday, Mohamad chided PAS for the latter's inconsistency when forming a political alliance.
In his speech during his party general assembly, Mohamad claimed Umno found it difficult to cooperate with PAS as the latter was never sincere or loyal and went as far as to work with those who formed a splinter party from Umno.
Takiyuddin said PAS remained confident that only through political unity formed on the basis of sincerity and good-willed will it be able to guarantee the formation of an administration that is fair and equitable to all people of various races, religions and cultures.
He also said PAS always upheld a matured and harmonious approach in Malaysia's politic, while hoping that reckless and unfounded remarks made for whatever purposes will not undermine the existing harmony within society.
