PAS leaders on opposite ends as meeting starts

The PAS annual muktamar is starting tonight.
In speeches to be delivered, party No2 Nasharudin Mat Isa is expected to defend the moves by some leaders to meet Umno in the so-called Malay unity talks.
He will be delivering the opening address at the PAS Youth meeting at the Ipoh stadium (yes, stadium).
PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub is expected to approach the issue from an opposite pole: Stay loyal with Pakatan Rakyat. No use to talk to these Umno guys. In fact, forget about it!

The tensions are there already.
And there is news that Perlis Youth has submitted a motion for the party to consider leaving Pakatan.
Some background info below. Heck, I think I KNOW this great writer!


-----------------------------------------
The Straits Times
Wed 13Aug2008


PAS: Protect Malay interests

By REME AHMAD
ASSISTANT FOREIGN EDITOR
IN IPOH, PERAK

THE president of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) has said that his party is willing to leave the Pakatan Rakyat coalition if the opposition group does not protect Malay-Muslim interests.
These comments by Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang set the three-party opposition coalition abuzz yesterday, with this being the first time a top party leader has openly floated the idea of abandoning the four-month old coalition.
The turbaned and bearded Datuk Abdul Hadi made the remarks on Sunday at a small convention of party leaders in Penang and it was played up by the Sinar Harian newspaper, which is popular in the East Coast states, where PAS has strong support.
But PAS central commitee member, Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, said the context of Mr Abdul Hadi's remarks was wrongly reported by the media.
"Mr Abdul Hadi did say 'if agenda Islam is not protected and upheld, PAS will go out of Pakatan'," Mr Syed Azman told The Straits Times.
But it was not a "warning" to Pakatan as reported.
The party chief was merely making a comment on its principles of working with others, he said.
Still, the remarks are significant as Mr Abdul Hadi earlier led the party in informal "Malay unity talks" with the ruling Umno party and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi recently, in what seemed a hint that it might abandon Pakatan.
Others note that the remarks were made in Penang just ahead of a significant by-election battle in the state that will pit defacto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim against an Umno leader, who will be selected for the contest.
There is already talk that some of the 15 PAS divisions in Penang might boycott the Permatang Pauh by-election where Mr Anwar will be contesting, as they are dissatisfied with the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which rules the state in the name of Pakatan, did not give them state government posts.
The opposition is also nervously watching the grassroots reactions to Mr Abdul Hadi's remarks, as PAS leaders began gathering in Ipoh for the five day annual meeting that starts today (wed).
The annual meeting is expected to witness fiery speeches by leaders split between those who want to leave Pakatan, as they fear that Malay-Muslim interests would be diluted, and those who want the party to become more multiracial in outlook.
Incidentally, five busloads of non-Muslims will be ferried to the venue of the meeting. They clearly have the backing of those within the party want to accommodate non-Muslims.
But this will not be easy, as the party's constitution does not allow full memberships for them.
Other opposition leaders, contacted yesterday, also downplayed Datuk Abdul Hadi's comments, saying he was not issuing a threat to Pakatan.
The coalition's other members are Parti Keadilan Rakyat led by Datuk Seri Anwar and the Chinese-led DAP.
Mr Tian Chua, PKR information chief, said he has a recording of Mr Abdul Hadi's speech and did not hear anything new in it.
"He said they will not compromise otherwise they will leave Pakatan.
The Chinese-led DAP will say the same thing. And the same will be said by Indian leaders. This is the reality of multiracial living, everyone have their concerns," he told The Straits Times.
If PAS were to leave Pakatan, the states of Selangor and Perak would fall as its two other partners do not have enough seats to retain power.
"This power itself will moderate all parties and force everyone to live together in this uneasy marriage," said DAP strategist Mr Liew Chin Tong.
reme@sph.com.sg