PAS break off from Pakatan Rakyat over appointment of new Prime Minister

KUALA LUMPUR – It is not impossible for Pakatan Rakyat to break up if Pas remains firm in having its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang appointed Prime Minister in the event of an opposition victory in the next general election, according to an expert.

“It is not impossible for DAP or Pas to break away from the coalition. We know that DAP will never allow a Prime Minister who wants to have an Islamic state,” said Mohd Roslan Mohd Saludin a former fellow of Shariah, Law and Political Sciences at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM).

“If Pas manages to win a majority, it is expected for them to demand for the top position, or they will risk being seen as a spineless party by their supporters,” he explained, adding that Pas could not ignore the general sentiment of its grassroots members.

“Pakatan might have to re-evaluate their cooperation because (Datuk Seri) Anwar has been a factor in uniting both Pas and DAP,” he added.

A recent news report stated that Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has welcomed a suggestion from Pas delegates that he be made the Prime Minister if the Pakatan Rakyat coalition wins in the next general election.

The Marang MP was quoted as saying at Pas’ Annual Muktamar (general assembly): “Sometimes, it can be ‘syok’ (a thrill) (to be proposed for PM post) but I ask God that Islam be the winner. After that, (I) can be anything, or even die.”

Mohd Roslan added that the apparent cracks in the coalition are becoming more obvious despite a statement by PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that the Prime Minister post is open for discussion.

However DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng reportedly said that the party wants Anwar to hold the post if the opposition coalition wins.

Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman wrote in his blog: “if Pas demands for a vote of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat to show who gets the biggest support or confidence to be the Prime Minister, and if BN (Barisan Nasional) MPs, particularly Muslim BN’s MPs, vote in favor of Pas’, then it is possible that Pas’ candidate for the Prime Ministership will be the next Prime Minister and not (Datuk Seri) Anwar!”

Another blog post at Stop The Lies said cracks within Pakatan have developed since the Muktamar, fuelled by the fact that Pas for once is making a stand for the Prime Ministerial post and that they believe the implementation of hudud is not impossible if they manage to win enough seats.

Associate Professor Dr Mohd Noor Mad Yazid, a lecturer in international relations at the School of Social Sciences at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), opined that Pakatan’s seat distribution will determine the status of the Prime Ministerial post.

“If Pas is given fewer seats to contest, especially in Malay-dominated areas, the party might not stand a chance to win a majority in the coalition,” Mohd Noor said.

“If Pas is given fewer seats, the party will be seen as second fiddle by their supporters. This (seat allocation) is going to be tricky for Pakatan,” he added. – The Mole
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