Displeased with recent revelations of “irresponsible” and “extremist” thinking from a leaked conversation between PAS leaders, DAP has called on Dr Zuhdi Marzuki to apologise and for the PAS central leadership to take stern action against the PAS Research Centre Operations Director.
DAP National Organising Secretary Anthony Loke and DAP National Publicity Secretary Tony Pua have ticked off Zuhdi’s inclination for “the return of Malay-Islamic political dominance”, and for saying that the qualms of non-Muslims could be “flicked off” via the union of PAS and UMNO in Selangor.
Calling Dr. Zuhdi’s leaked message “irresponsible”, Loke said it was a betrayal not only to Pakatan Rakyat but also to the people who had voted for the coalition.
“I would like to remind Dr. Zuhdi that the seats won by PAS in Selangor were under the umbrella of Pakatan Rakyat, because PAS, PKR and DAP had contested in GE13 using the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto.”
The Seremban MP called on the PAS central leadership to take a strong stand to distance themselves from Dr Zuhdi’s remarks and to take necessary action to restore voters and Pakatan Rakyat supporters’ confidence in PAS.
Loke said he believed that the majority of PAS central leadership disagreed with Dr. Zuhdi’s views, which could mar the image of PAS as a party that fights for justice based on principles.
Loke also addressed Dr. Zuhdi’s response after the leaked message fiasco where the latter defended his message by saying that it was an “imagining” and a “scenario analysis”, and not something the PAS leader himself supported.
“What is disappointing is that a PAS Research Centre Operations Director who is tasked to operate a think-tank could “imagine” flicking away DAP, the church, and non-Muslims.
“I have never imagined that a PAS leader could imagine, like UMNO, to return the political power of Malay-Muslims by boundary redelineation. Isn’t that a suggestion that goes against the Elections Commission (SPR) and no different from a PERKASA agenda?” lamented Loke.
Meanwhile, Pua demanded an apology from Dr. Zuhdi and asked that the PAS leadership take stern action against “narrow minded” leaders who echo the same sentiments as Dr Zuhdi.
“This is so that the party’s “PAS for All” slogan isn’t continually marred,” he added.
While leaving Pakatan is the prerogative of PAS, Pua said many of those who would be saddened by PAS leaving the Pakatan coalition took issue with Dr. Zuhdi’s analysis which sought to silence non-Muslim’s voices.
Dr. Zuhdi had claimed in his message that working together with UMNO would mean that political power could return to the Malays and Muslims, saying that it could then “flick away” (jentik) the voices of the non-Muslims.
Pua, who is the MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, said that Dr Mohd Zuhdi’s analysis clearly expressed his racist and extremist thoughts.
“The issue is not about Dr Zuhdi’s imagined “scenarios” or his personal stand. The issue is that Dr. Zuhdi has revealed his racist and extremists thoughts in his analysis,” Pua said.
Translated, the screenshot grab of Dr. Zuhdi’s Whatsapp conversation which was leaked on 28 July reads as follows:
“The first scenario of analysis: If we [PAS] leave PR, we can retain Selangor. We have 15 seats + TSKI [Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim] + another PKR State Assemblyman + 12 UMNO seats, which would form a simple majority. UMNO accepts TSKI as MB[Menteri Besar].
“After that, if DAP, the church, and non-Muslims bring up issues like raids, the “Allah” issue, we can just flick them away. We can amend the boundaries at the end of the year to return the political power of Malay-Islam. So whatever voices of non-Muslims, we can silence like before.”
PAS Elections Director Dr Hatta Ramli responds to Dr. Zuhdi’s suggestion to work with UMNO with a flat no. Hatta’s message reads, “Cooperating with UMNO? I’m out!”
The controversial conversation comes during Pakatan’s heated ongoing talks of replacing Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim. PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim claims that agreement was reached during a closed door meeting in which PAS representatives were on board with the move.
However while PKR and DAP have backed the decision to replace the MB, PAS President Hadi Awang has spoken out against Khalid Ibrahim’s removal, creating a scenario that sees PAS going against the joint resolution of the coalition.
Yesterday, Dr. Zuhdi took to Facebook to call on Anwar Ibrahim to retire from politics and calling him a “dictator”.
Meanwhile, PAS Central Committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad clarified that the scenario described by Dr Zuhdi does not reflect PAS’ stand. PAS Selangor secretary Mohd Khairuddin Othman has also said that Dr. Zuhdi’s message is his own personal opinion and would not affect PAS’ loyalty to Pakatan Rakyat. -The Rocket
