The best partnerships aren’t dependent on a mere common goal but on a shared path of equality, desire, and no small amount of passion.
– Sarah MacLean, American author
I have said this before and let me repeat. There is nothing wrong with any political party; it’s the leaders behind the party who are either good or bad.
The good, capable and disciplined leaders will surely lead the party to greater heights while the bad, selfish and power-crazy idiots will spell doom for the organisation.
So, it’s the same with PAS. I find nothing wrong with PAS as a party. Although I’m not in favour of a religion-based political party, there is nothing in our laws that prevents its registration. So, I accept PAS as a legal political entity and support its right to operate in the country.
But PAS as the party in power at national level and running the country either solo or as a coalition partner? That’s a no-no for me, certainly not under its current president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
PAS led by Hadi will never be a suitable partner for the unity government. The Islamic cleric’s politics and his extremist views are not in alignment with those of DAP and PKR, two senior partners in the coalition government. Even Umno is unprepared to work with PAS under Hadi.
To be honest, I’m scared of Hadi; I don’t think he’s sober. I think he is a clear and present danger to the political soul of this nation.
As the days turn into weeks, Hadi is getting more and more destructive. When a man is destructive, he is also dangerous.
The PAS president Hadi has not said anything positive about anyone or anything after last November’s general election.
Everything that came out of his mouth in the media has been negative, negatively destructive, to be precise.
In March, I wrote in Malaysiakini that I think it’s about time that the security apparatus we have in this country be brought to bear on all who pose a threat to our national security, including Hadi.
I had also urged that the PAS president be put in the “High-Risk Persons” category. His indirect salvo at the Malay rulers recently is not something that should be taken lightly. Hadi has also defied a sultan’s ban on making political speeches in mosques.
I’m bringing up the Hadi threat again because of recent reports of the possibility of PAS being invited to join the unity government.
Last Sunday, the PAS president claimed that “certain people” had been wanting to meet him about an offer to join the government.
However, he said the offer would not be advantageous to PAS, asserting that PAS should be given a dominant role as it has the most number of parliamentary seats, of all parties.
So far, we have heard of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim extending an olive branch to the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, of which PAS is a senior partner.
Anwar did not specifically say the invitation was for PAS to join the government. What the prime minister probably wanted was to seek cooperation from PN so that all parties could earnestly get down to work for the nation with as little politicking and distraction as possible.
But Hadi being Hadi must say his piece and in his usual style, places self-importance and superiority up front. Before there was any confirmation of anything, he started jumping the gun, saying that PAS must have a prominent role in any government.
Thankfully, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quick to put the PAS president in his place, telling Hadi to stop daydreaming over ‘offers’ to join the government.
“(Hadi) should not be so full of himself to think that (PAS) will be offered to join the unity government,” he reportedly told a press conference on Monday.
According to Zahid, who is also Umno president, he has no knowledge of such an offer to PAS.
Instead, Zahid told PAS to remain in PN – with Bersatu and its other allies.
Meanwhile, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has also denied Hadi’s claim that PKR had offered the party to join the government.
“I have never heard (about PAS being offered to join the government). I can tell you that since the beginning of my involvement in the formation of the government, I know nothing about this (offer),” Rafizi said.
Readers writing in news portals have a long list of Hadi’s ‘sins’ which are only too well known to many. I see no necessity to list them here.
However, I would advise the PAS president to step down and allow a new, younger and more vibrant leader to take over.
Given his health issues, it is also time for Hadi to take a clean break from politics.
Remember Hadi, no one is indispensable and surely, not invincible too.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
