PKR’s smear campaign against PAS

PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang was forced to deny that PAS was talking to Umno to form a unity government. He was also forced to reiterate that PAS would stay with Pakatan Rakyat and not go to bed with Umno.

This rumour was started by PKR to coincide with the PAS assembly this week, which saw a lot of internal squabbling between the ulama’s group and the so-called professionals a.k.a. the Anwarists. The rumour was clearly meant to undermine the ulama’s faction that is said to be talking to Umno.

Malaysians have very short memories because it was as recent as December last year that PKR Secretary-General Saifuddin Nasution, met Umno Vice-President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in London to discuss a unity government between Umno, PKR and PAS.

PAS leaders Abdul Hadi, Mustafa Ali and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man were also in London at that time and Saifuddin invited them to join the talks with Ahmad Zahid.

Abdul Hadi, however, declined the invitation and only Mustafa and Tuan Ibrahim went. Abdul Hadi did not want to endorse the meeting and his declining the invitation was the message he was sending to Saifuddin and Ahmad Zahid that he is not in favour of such a unity government.

Today, this whole thing has been twisted to say that Abdul Hadi is the one who wants to make a deal with Umno when he intentionally absented himself from the meeting for the very reason he does not want to make a deal.

Anyway, that matter is now going to be overshadowed by new developments.

On Tuesday, 23 September 2014, the new Selangor Menteri Besar is going to be sworn in. So far no names have been mentioned but reports say that whoever it may be, it is not going to be Dr.Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

So, at the moment, it is still merely speculation with some saying it is going to be Iskandar Abdul Samad from PAS while others are saying it is going to be either Azmin Ali or Dr.Idris Ahmad from PKR.

What can be confirmed, though, is that Khalid Ibrahim’s last day as the Selangor MB is 23 September 2014. And, depending on who the candidate for the new MB is, expect another round of internal bickering between PAS and DAP/PKR.

Salleh Said Keruak is the Speaker of the Sabah State Assembly and Sabah Umno Liaison Committee Deputy Chairman. This article appears in his blog, SSK.