Pakatan Harapan member parties must learn from the past and avoid repeating the same mistakes that led to the demise of the Pakatan Rakyat pact, Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Salahuddin Ayub said today.
He reminded his allies at the new federal Opposition alliance’s first convention here that many Malaysians had put their hopes in Pakatan Rakyat, adding that it had the potential to be great but broke up because the parties were not united in their cause.
“Do not repeat the mistakes of before because it will destroy the future. Everyone here knows why Pakatan Rakyat fell out and how dreams were broken. We need to remember what caused our dreams to be shattered.
“But, today we are here to learn and make sure the same mistakes are not repeated,” he said in his speech at the Ideal Convention Centre here.
Pakatan Rakyat comprising DAP, PKR and PAS were formed after the landmark general elections of 2008, but disintegrated last year after a disagreement between DAP and PAS over the latter’s push for hudud laws in Kelantan.
The split led to a breakaway faction within PAS who then formed Amanah which then joined up with DAP and PKR to form Pakatan Harapan.
Salahuddin also reminded his allies not to forget their “real enemy”, as political parties prepare to face the next generation elections due by 2018 but which is speculated may be called as early as next year.
“We learn from the past on who is the friend and who is the foe. Don’t forget who is the enemy, do not get confused. Don’t let the enemy become a friend.”
He urged the Opposition parties to work with each other and with others opposed to the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, like Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
“We must let the people know that we have a strong camaraderie and that we will go forward strong as one,” he said.
However, before the convention kicked off this morning, a small group claiming to be Pakatan Harapan supporters demonstrated outside the convention hall against PAS.
The group of five handed over a memorandum to Pakatan Harapan’s top leadership urging them against opening the door for PAS to rejoin the Opposition pact.
Salahuddin also said in his speech that Pakatan Harapan’s choice for prime minister remains PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim even if the latter is currently serving a five-year jail sentence.
However, he acknowledged the need to name an another as the pact’s PM-designate, until Anwar is free.
“Our priority candidate will always be Anwar. This is an agreement that we need to respect but before Anwar is freed, we need a interim PM,” he said.
He also said that Pakatan Harapan will have a “referendum” to name the “interim PM” before Anwar’s release.
Source : KAMLES KUMAR@The Malay Mail Online
Hornbill Unleashed 
Many of us see PAS as an arrogant, cant-be-trusted, backstabbing party that will never get over its narrow racial, religious and egotistical mindset. Alliance with PAS with its current set of leaders is a betrayal to many who crave for change for the betterment of our country. Do think outside the box of this out-moded mindset.
Comment by almaz — November 13, 2016 @ 9:38 AM |