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Grasshopper
by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
HAH ALAM: The proposed PAS-
S Umno unity talks is not about
power-sharing or the party join-
ing Umno or Barisan Nasional
(BN), says PAS deputy president
Nasharudin Mat Isa.
“It is about PAS, being a major
political organisation, wanting to
offer its views in dealing with the
many current issues for the benefit
of the nation and people.
“We could contribute in trying to
minimise the impact (of the issues)
on the nation. That is the main inten-
tion. I reiterate, it is not the issue of
PAS joining Umno or BN. That is a
non-issue. As for now, the focus is
more on discussions and talks.
“Like what the president (Datuk
Seri Abdul Hadi Awang) has said, we
are open to discussions with anyone,
even with MIC or PPP, not just with
Umno,” he said when asked to clarify
whether the unity talks would even-
tually mean sharing of power.
Speaking to reporters on the last
day of PAS’s 55th delegates confer-
ence yesterday, Nasharudin said PAS
would explain the issue to other com-
ponent parties in the Pakatan Rakyat
(PR) coalition in the next presidential
council meeting.
“When it is explained by the (PAS)
president, they will understand,” he
said when it was pointed out that
DAP and PKR seemed to be in the
dark about the unity talks issue.
In his adjournment speech, Abdul
Hadi said the party should not shut
the door to discussions with any
quarter, including Umno, as it is
against Allah’s command.
He said although PAS did want
to be a passenger on the Barisan
Nasional “ship” or that of others, it
needed to have understanding with
other parties on various issues.
“It is incumbent upon us to save
others from ‘drowning’ in their own
ignorance or helplessness when
faced with a crisis,” he said.
Abdul Hadi said PAS leaders and
members needed to know the kind
of enemies they faced. “There are
two types of enemies -- real enemy
and the enemy that is created or
produced. Let us not waste time on
the created enemy until we forget the
real enemy. There are also those who
make us their enemies because they
Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations (Malaysia)
» Beware of investment scams: SC pg2
pg16
PAS: It’s unity,
not for power
don’t understand us.”
Hence, he said, PAS must meet
with all quarters, as sending out
pamphlets on the party’s struggle
did not suffice.
In the party’s deliberations, many
delegates voiced their concern about
the issue, saying they were against
any cooperation with Umno, the
party’s long-time No. 1 political foe.
Asked his response to Umno
Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s
statement that discussions between
Umno and PAS can be continued
following his (Nasharudin’s) re-
election, he said: “In PAS, we don’t
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» Day-care centre fire toll rises pg8
Cooling down ... An Indian girl plays
under a broken water pipe in New Delhi yesterday.
The unrelenting heat is persisting in the Indian capital
as temperatures reached 44°C with weathermen
forecasting a severe heatwave across the plains of
northern India.
discuss based on individuals, but we
leave it to the party.”
To Kelantan Umno leader Datuk
Che Alwi Nik Mat’s call for mentri
besar Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik
Mat to resign following the loss of
several state leaders to get into the
Central Working Committee, he
said: “Umno need not interfere in
PAS’s management and administra-
tion. It is not their business to be
busybody.”
To a question, Nasharudin who
defeated biggest challenger Datuk
Husam Musa in a three-cornered
fight with Mohamad Sabu, he
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Monday
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AFPPIX
said his relationship with Husam
remains intact as he described it as
a contest among family members.
Meanwhile, Perak PAS com-
missioner Ahmad Awang revealed
that Umno had attempted to form
a Malay-only coalition government
in Perak immediately after the 12th
general election. This, he claimed,
was also supported by a PAS
national leader who had contacted
him a few days after the party, DAP
and PKR leaders agreed to form the
PR state government.
» More reports on PAS assembly Page 6
News without
borders
Bodies found
as Air France
probes speed
monitors
RECIFE (Brazil): Brazil’s navy recovered
more bodies on today from an Air France
jet that plunged into the Atlantic nearly
a week ago, as investigators probed
a possible link between false speed
measurements and the crash.
Three more bodies were grabbed
from the waves 1,000km off Brazil’s
northeast coast and operations were
under way in “unfavourable” weather to
recover others spotted floating among
seats and other debris from the plane,
Brazilian military officials said.
The finds follow the recovery on
Saturday of the first two bodies from
Air France flight AF447, which came
down early June 1 with 228 people on
board. The plane left from Rio de Janeiro
to Paris a week ago, on May 31.
The sex of the three bodies recov-
ered could not be determined, a spokes-
man for Brazil’s air force, Lt-Col Henry
Munhoz said, suggesting how bad a
condition they were in after seven days
in the water.
A navy frigate was to take the bod-
ies and items recovered on Saturday
including an Air France seat, a briefcase
with an Air France ticket and a backpack,
to the port of Fernando de Noronha, a
Brazilian archipelago 400km offshore.
The ship was expected to arrive
today. From there, the remains were to
be flown to the mainland city of Recife,
where search operations were being
coordinated and a morgue had been
set up to identify the bodies.
Munhoz said “some 100 objects” had
been spotted in the crash zone, including
other seats with the Air France logo on
them and oxygen masks. But the priority
was the recovery of the bodies.
With clues still being pieced together
over the crash, speculation is focusing
on its airspeed monitors.
The doomed jet broadcast a series
of 24 automatic error messages as
its systems shut down one-by-one in
its final minutes, and French accident
investigators say the cockpit was receiv-
ing conflicting speed data.
France’s transport minister Dominique
Bussereau said it was too early for
investigators to say what was the most
likely cause of the crash, but confirmed
that Airbus jets had experienced
problems with speed monitors. – AFP