theSun | THURSDAY JUNE 18 2009 œ 3

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Umno, Nik
Aziz tells
Nasharudin
KOTA BARU: PAS spiritual leader
Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has
told Nasharudin Mat Isa to quit as
PAS deputy president and Bachok
member of parliament and join
Umno if he persists with the idea of
a unity government.
“The unity government issue
did not come from PAS but is an
idea floated by certain individuals.
The matter was never in black and
white as a PAS agenda or that of the
Opposition alliance,” the Kelantan
mentri besar said after chairing a state
executive council meeting yesterday.
“If it is true that Nasharudin is
agreeable (to a unity government),
then he had better join Umno, and
resign his posts as deputy (PAS presi-
dent) and Bachok (MP),” he said.
Nik Aziz said the proposal of
a unity government between the
No unity talks without
PKR and DAP: Mustafa
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
A life of KUALA LUMPUR: After coming under heavy
service pressure from its Pakatan Rakyat partners for
proposing unity talks with Umno, PAS yesterday
with a made an about-turn in declaring that any such
loving talks would have to include the PKR and DAP.
touch PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali
said this was because the party had never
pg 6 before betrayed its political allies and would
not attempt to do so in the fufure.
Speaking to reporters at the PAS headquarters
yesterday, he said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Abdul Razak must be willing to sit down with the
party’s PR partners in the event of any unity talks.
“If Najib is not willing to do that, then we will
not have unity talks,” Mustafa said.
“Our track record speaks for itself. We have
never betrayed our friends.
“In this issue, we don’t want to betray
our friends from PKR and DAP ... so if we are
going to sit down and have talks, the PKR and
DAP must be included as well,” he said.
Responding to Mustafa’s statement, Najib
who was in Kuching yesterday, said Umno
adopts an open attitude over PAS’s proposal for
the creation of a unity government which must
be in the interest of the people and nation.
He did not dismiss the possibility of holding
a meeting to deliberate on the matter as both
sides had not had any formal discussion on it.
Mustafa reiterated that PAS was not plan-
ning to “join” Umno or the BN by initiating
unity talks. “We don’t want to give a mislead-
ing impression. The recent statement by
party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang
was just a concept of a unity government.
“The president also recently met PR leader
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to explain the con-
cept. Although we are the Opposition, we are
ready to discuss with BN, issues that concern
our country.”
He said PAS had, in 1989 during Tun Dr Mahathir
Mohamad’s tenure as prime minister, engaged the
BN in talks to discuss important issues.
Mustafa and four other members of PAS
were involved in the National Economic Con-
sultative Council that year.
The issue of PAS forming a unity government
with Umno and the BN resurfaced at a recent
PAS muktamar, but the idea, promoted by Hadi,
met with strong objections from inside the party
as well as its PR partners.
It was also criticised by PAS spiritual leader
Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat and former vice-
president Datuk Husam Musa.
Mustafa said Hadi’s statement on a unity gov-
ernment should not be seen as indicating that
PAS would join Umno on the political front.
He also said the PKR, DAP and PAS could
disagree on certain issues, but that PAS would
never turn its back on the PR.

KAMARIDUAN MOHD NOR/THESUN

Pakatan Rakyat and PAS was tossed
around by “Umno puppets” to cre-
ate confusion within PAS and the Location API (11am) API (5pm)
Opposition alliance. KEDAH
He was commenting on a state- Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani, 47 60
ment by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Alor Star 49 50
Najib Abdul Razak on Tuesday that Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani 47 60
he believed PAS was sincere about
holding unity talks as recently pro- PERAK
posed by party president Datuk Seri Jalan Tasek, Ipoh 49 65
Abdul Hadi Awang. Tanjung Malim 37 116
Najib had said he was open- PE NANG
minded and willing to consider any Prai 48 57
PAS suggestion if it would bring good SELANGOR
to the country. Petaling Jaya 55 59
Nasharudin, in response, said Shah Alam 56 65
PAS was open to discussion on unity Port Klang 65 68
and not a unity government because
the party saw it as a chance to con- KUALA LUMPUR
tribute to resolving the political and Cheras 56 65
economic crises. Batu Muda 53 73
Nik Aziz said he regretted Air Pollutant Index (API) readings yesterday
Nasharudin’s stand because PAS 0-50: Good 51-100: Moderate 101-200: Unhealthy
in Kelantan had accepted him as a
candidate for the Bachok seat in the
2008 general election.
He said PAS and the Pakatan Rakyat
had fallen into Umno’s trap over its
unity government agenda, which had
caused disunity among the Opposition
parties. “The Umno people are now
rejoicing because PAS is split, as is the
Opposition alliance.” The Shah Alam
Nik Aziz said that if a unity gov- skyline at noon
ernment were to materialise, the yesterday.
BN should appoint leaders from the
Opposition as ministers.
“If everyone agrees ... PAS (lead-
ers) become ministers, DAP (leaders)
become ministers and (Parti) Keadilan
PAS moving goal posts daily, says Muhyiddin
(Rakyat) leaders become ministers.” by Maria J. Dass said: “Their (PAS) stand seems to change every day, so difficult, because if I comment today then tomorrow
He also said he would be suing newsdesk@thesundaily.com it is difficult for us to say anything. The prime minister they will have something new to say,” he said.
Utusan Malaysia for defamation for spoke about this on Tuesday, but today there is yet Asked if Umno was agreeable to PKR and DAP
its report on June 15 which quoted KUALA LUMPUR: Umno is open to unity talks with another statement which is different.” participating in talks, Muhyiddin said: “I don’t want to
him as saying that his advice must PAS, except that the party seems to be moving its “The crux is that this (idea of unity talks) actually speculate before getting any confirmation.
be heeded. goal posts as a result of internal conflict and differ- came from them, and we want to know what their “Their problem is that they (PAS leaders) don’t
“I categorically deny using the ences, Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin exact stand is. In principal, we are not opposed to it and seem to have a common stand and they are in limbo,”
word ‘must’,” he said, adding that it Mohd Yassin said. are open to discussion. I think the media also under- he said when asked to comment on PAS spiritual
was a lie and a move to humiliate Commenting on reports that PAS wanted its coali- stands that our stand is quite clear, but when they start leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat’s call to party deputy presi-
him in order to turn society and the tion partners DAP and PKR to participate in any such moving their goal posts, not knowing how to handle dent Nasharudin Mat Isa to quit and join Umno if he
mufti against him. – Bernama talks, Muhyiddin, who is also deputy prime minister, their internal political conflicts and differences, it is persisted with the idea of a unity government.

No plan to form unity govt with Umno: PAS

by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-appointed
PAS election director Datuk Abdul
Halim Abdul Rahman (PAS-Peng-
kalan Chepa) said the party has no
intention of forming a unity govern-
ment with Umno.
He said that as a member of the
Syura Council, the highest decision-
making body of the party, “I know the
matter was never discussed by the
council or the central working com-
mittee”.
“The party will not make any decision
without the Syura’s approval. The coun-
cil is chaired by PAS spiritual adviser
Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat (the Kelantan
MB),” Halim said, adding that the issue
was also not discussed with the other
Pakatan Rakyat members – DAP and
PKR.
Halim, who raised the issue of
unity talks while debating the Inland
Revenue Board (Amendment) Act
in parliament yesterday, was then
reminded by Deputy Speaker Datuk
Ronald Kiandee not to stray from the
original topic.
Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur)
intervened to accuse Umno of not
only trying to split PAS but also the
PR, referring to Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s statement
that PAS was sincere about holding
unity talks.
“He (Najib) saw this opportunity to
weaken our coalition although he talks
about 1Malaysia. He should stand by
his 1Malaysia concept, not divide and
rule us, as has been done in Perak,”
he said.
Halim then said PAS deputy
president Nasharudin Mat Isa (PAS-
Bachok), who has been championing
unity talks, was making a political
statement, which was not the party’s
stand.
He also said that should there be
a unity government between PAS and
Umno, Najib might not be the prime
minister, and it is the BN which would
suffer because most people want the
PR to rule.
Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam)
said the BN government was incapable
of forming an administration that could
unite the people, and “that is why they
are seeking PR’s cooperation”.
Halim said Najib was engaging in a
psychological war with PAS due to the
coming Manek Urai by-election which
is likely to see a straight fight between
PAS and BN.