GEORGE TOWN – DAP’s Bukit Bendera parliamentary candidate Syerleena Abdul Rashid pointed out PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s doublespeak, saying that he uses racial and religious rhetoric on one hand, but collaborates with non-Malay parties in Perikatan Nasional on the other.
PAS also used to ally with DAP and PKR in the 2013 election, Syerleena added.
“Hadi has also conveniently forgotten that PAS used to be an ally with DAP. But the voters remember, and can see through his opportunism,” she said in a statement.
"If race and religion are so important, then why is PAS collaborating with the multi-ethnic Gerakan (in PN), or MCA (in Barisan Nasional)? Hadi is trying to blind his own supporters to the country’s need for diversity and to mutually tolerate each other,” she added.
Syerleena was responding to Hadi’s claim that DAP’s Malay candidates would be made use of by the party.
“Hadi should not try to falsely portray DAP. PAS is desperately trying to use race and religion to grab what little power they have.
“But when the party wins, Hadi shirks on his responsibility to attend Parliament as a responsible MP,” she said.
If Hadi does not comprehend the new, more issues-based age of politics, which is driven by the economy rather than race and religion, DAP’s Malay candidates can only feel sorry for the cleric who remains out of touch with reality, she added.
Syerleena said DAP will also explain to Malay voters that PAS’ style of using race and religion in politics is unworkable in a modern age.
“We hope that the Malays can realise that there are other options besides PAS. Our fate as citizens cannot be determined by a party who drags religion to the daily affairs of the people just to stay in power and to gain more influence,” she said. – The Vibes, November 12, 2022