KUALA LUMPUR – Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi has trained his guns on PAS, accusing the opposition party of stirring up political drama by signing the Malay Proclamation with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He added that based on their track record, PAS and Dr Mahathir are not to be trusted.
Puad also pooh-poohed the Malay Proclamation, saying: “As far as we know, Bersatu refuses to cooperate with Dr Mahathir. Therefore, the individual support of several Bersatu leaders does not point to a consensus.”
“Enough with the political sandiwara (theatre). What more with Dr Mahathir not leading any political party. The proclamation is just a provocation to disrupt the unity government.”
He said that PAS once signed the Muafakat Nasional proclamation with Umno, only to betray Umno by joining Perikatan Nasional (PN).
“The question is, is PAS blind? The party should not forget that Dr Mahathir supported the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and Rome Statute (during his time as prime minister following the 2018 general election).
“Umno and PAS were forced to work together to stop that,” he posted on his Facebook page today.
Yesterday, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said his recent meeting with long-time rival Dr Mahathir was intended to enhance Malay political dominance in the country.
Hadi lamented that the Muslims, despite being the majority, were divided along political lines, while non-Malays have consolidated their support for Pakatan Harapan, particularly DAP.
“That is why the Malay political dominance has eroded, because it is now held by the non-Malays after the (recent) election.
“Thus, the Malays have been damned to live in shame and have sinned as they have allowed the strength of political Islam to be eroded.”
Hadi also claimed that Umno was no longer able to represent the Malays, as they have been plagued by “money politics” and “corruption”.
Hadi’s column came after several PN leaders met with Dr Mahathir to sign the “Malay Proclamation”, a document intended to “unite” and “save” the Malay community. – The Vibes, May 5, 2023