SHAH ALAM, Aug 4 —Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin downplayed the rift between PAS and Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau calling it a one-off incident.
The former prime minister said the rift was an isolated incident and did not reflect the entire party’s sentiments towards Lau and Gerakan.
“PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin (Hassan) already apologised to Lau on behalf of the coalition as it’s just a misunderstanding.
“It’s something that shouldn’t have happened and I asked that we have a big ceramah there with all the leaders from the coalition on stage together as a show of solidarity.
“I want to stress that this incident doesn’t mean everyone on the PAS feels this way, it’s an isolated incident unique only to that seat and to be honest misunderstandings happen all the time so I reassure you the issue with him is not across the board,” he told reporters after launching PN’s manifesto for Selangor.
In the incident at Sungai Dua, Penang, last Tuesday that was widely spread on the internet, Lau was asked to leave the PAS ceramah venue before he could meet PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Lau has denied news reports that he was asked to leave the Sungai Dua venue a few days ago even as he conceded that Gerakan was not invited to speak at the PAS ceramah even though the two parties are in the same PN coalition.
Today he sought to explain why he wanted to meet Hadi in Penang, saying that prior to the state elections, PN component party leaders had agreed to meet up during the election campaign to discuss their strategies.
He said due to the ceramah running late he was unable to meet Hadi.
Lau added that he has since spoken to Hadi.
