Pas rejects any coalition with Umno, commits to Pakatan Rakyat

UPDATED - KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Pas has rejected any coalition government with Umno or the Barisan Nasional at both state or federal level, party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said today, ending the controversial unity talks with its ideological nemesis that have rocked both the ruling and opposition coalitions.

"The issue of Umno’s offer to Pas therefore does not arise," Abdul Hadi said after a rare joint meeting between Pas's central working committee and its highest decision-making body, the Majlis Syura Ulamak (religious scholars consultative council).

Pas has been embroiled with the secret meetings between its leaders including Abdul Hadi and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and Umno's offer to some state Pas leaders to form coalition state governments in Perak and Selangor — both now under the federal opposition's Pakatan Rakyat. Umno, however, has not invited Pas to join other Barisan Nasional state governments.

Abdul Hadi also reaffirmed the party's commitment to Pakatan Rakyat, the nascent coalition that groups the Islamist party with Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Democratic Action Party that denied BN its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority in the 222-seat Parliament with its 82 seats and unprecedented control of five states.

He said Pas was grateful to the non-Muslim community for supporting the party in the March 8 general election, adding it was prepared to meet political organisations and non-governmental organisations to discuss issues of mutual interest.

He urged Umno members to quit en masse and join the Pakatan Rakyat coalition members.

Abdul Hadi also said there will be no more secret meeting with Umno. "We have decided anyone can meet, but such meetings must be informed to the party, just like in the past (where the party was informed)," he added.

When asked whether future meetings with Umno would be referred to as muzakarah or muqabalah, he said: "I only said meetings in general, you can call it by any name."

The party president, who has been criticised for talking to Umno while being in Pakatan Rakyat, also declared Pas would continue to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim despite fresh sodomy allegations against the former deputy prime minister.

"I have said before that this issue must be solved according to Islamic principles," Abdul Hadi said while quoting Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution that says civil courts have no jurisdiction over matters that are under the syariah court's jurisdiction.

"I don't want this issue to be politicised," he said.

Anwar, who announced today he would run for his former Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency just vacated by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, has slapped a qazaf (slander) complaint against his sodomy accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

However, Anwar has refused to swear on the Quran as demanded by Saiful, who claims he will do so to prove he is telling the truth.

-TMI