PAS, PKR, DAP leaders urge Nasha-Nik Aziz reconciliation

Senior PAS leaders have urged deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa to meet and clear the air with the party spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat after a public spat over unity talks with arch rival Umno.

“I believe that Tok Guru has no hatred towards Nasharudin as a person. His statement is made out of love, just like how when a father occasionally beats his son, it is out of love for the son’s future,” vice president Mahfuz Omar told reporters on the sidelines of Parliament on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Nik Aziz - the senior-most leader in PAS - had given Nasharudin a public scolding after the latter welcomed a suggestion from Prime Minister Najib Razak to hold unity talks.

“If it is true that Nasharudin supports the formation of a unity government, it is best that he joins Umno by quitting his PAS post and as an MP for Bachok. Don’t cause problems in the party,” Nik Aziz had said.

Nasharudin had said PAS would not join Umno or Barisan Nasional but would offer recommendations on political and economic issues to the government.

“I think the issue of PAS joining Umno or Barisan does not arise, but we see there are recommendations that we can give to the government to improve the economic and political situation,” said the newly-elected deputy president.

Neither PKR nor DAP wishes any acrimony between the two PAS leaders

Innocuous as Nasharudin’s comments may have been, there is nevertheless concern that he and PAS president Hadi Awang could steer the Islamist party towards Umno and its BN coalition.

According to Mahfuz, the Nik Aziz-Nasharudin spat will be discussed at a meeting slated for Monday. Hadi is due to return from London on Sunday.

Another PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub urged Nasharudin to “show his respect” to Nik Aziz and meet him to sort out the issue, which was starting to trouble the party grassroots.

Meanwhile, the Muslimat or women’s wing expressed their support for Nik Aziz and reiterated they would stand by a decision taken at the party’s recently-held annual congress to stay within the Pakatan Rakyat.

Kota Raja MP and Muslimat information chief Siti Mariah Mahmud also called on members to “remain calm and not to be worried by attempts by some parties to break up the Pakatan and create disunity within PAS”.

Meanwhile, top leaders from PKR and DAP have stood up to the test, with both Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang seeking to soothe the ruffled feathers between Nik Aziz and Nasharudin.

Of greater concern to them was that acrimony was not allowed to set in between the two, rather than avoiding an imminent break-up of the Pakatan as portended by the Umno-controlled press.

This, they said, was the least likely to happen.

“As far as DAP is concerned, we are always prepared to talk to anyone on matters of national interest. We are Malaysians and we are prepared to talk to anyone on what is of concern to all Malaysians,” said Kit Siang.

“I think Nik Aziz should talk to his leaders on this matter and I believe it can be resolved,” said Anwar. (SK)