PAS will not work with New Hope Movement - Ahmad Yakob

PAS said today it will not cooperate with the New Hope Movement (Gerakan Harapan Baru) set up by some of its members.

PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Ahmad Yakob said the movement was a new entity which had yet to clarify the principles of its struggle.

"We cannot be on the same platform because they are a new party. Nevertheless, we are ready to fight them in the general election," he told reporters when met at his Aidilfitri open house at his residence in Wakaf Baharu here.

Last Monday, several PAS senior leaders from the party's group of moderates who lost in the recent party elections launched the New Hope Movement which is seen as likely to replace PAS in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition pact that also has DAP and PKR as partners.

PAS has decided to sever ties with DAP after DAP secretary-general said the DAP had cut ties with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

The New Hope Movement has former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu as its pro-tem chairman. The others in the interim committee are former Selangor menteri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhamad Taib; former PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar; former PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub as well as former

PAS senior leaders such as Khalid Samad, Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli and Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Asked whether disciplinary action would be taken against PAS leaders who joined the movement, Ahmad, who is the Kelantan menteri besar, said the party would "wait and see".

"We will let them do what they want to. (PAS) president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has not taken any action against these leaders. We will wait and see.

"It may be a way that the president has adopted, not rushing into taking action," he said.

Ahmad also advised any PAS leader or member who wanted to join the movement to withdraw respectfully from PAS.

"If they want to be with the New Hope Movement, they have to leave everything else. They have to be on their own, use their own branches, use their own money.

"In a democratic country, we welcome (the setting up of the New Hope Movement), but do not remain in PAS in a state of uncertainty. Neither here nor there, that's a problem," he said.