'Nasharuddin's sacking has backfired on Pas'

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said, the sacking of former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, from the Syura Council has backfired.

He said, the party had previously accused Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno of being intolerant of criticism or banned members from working with non-government organisations (NGO) or others on welfare or humanitarian programmes.

"It is clear what had been done to Nasharuddin, (Datuk Dr) Hasan Ali and many other PAS leaders shows that the party is like the pot calling the kettle black," he told reporters after handing over early schooling aid at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Tiang Darat, here, today.

Touching on the stand of PAS, which was seen as catering to the taste of the season, he said, PAS must be more rational in deciding the direction of the party leadership if they wanted to be respected.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Defence Minister, urged those who were blindly supporting PAS, to open their eyes and heart, and see what the party was doing.

"For fence-sitters and its supporters, this is the time to decide to leave the party which cannot help them, a party which has no stand, a party which uses religion in the interest of politics, leave it," he said.

Commenting on the claim of the opposition that Nasharuddin was used by Umno in the trip to Gaza recently, he said they should be able to differentiate between humanitarian and party issues.

"Who is using whom? This is a humanitarian matter, this is not party matter. Try to differentiate Nasharuddin as a leader of a NGO because this is a humanitarian matter.

"I hope PAS will open its eyes, open its heart and mind so that humanitarian matters can be differentiated from party matters," he added.