Permatang Pauh PAS gives ultimatum to PKR

The Permatang Pauh PAS Division insists that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) retracts the statement against supporting the Private Member's Bill on hudud if they want its support at the Parliamentary by-election.

Permatang Pauh PAS Division chief Omar Hassan also gave PKR until before the nomination day on April 25 to do so, apart from demanding an open apology from PKR.

"If PKR agrees with the conditions, we Permatang Pauh PAS Division will continue the PAS-PKR cooperation in the by-election. The stand was made unanimously at the division's 38th general meeting Sunday.

"If they still refuse to retract the statement, we shall see how it is going to be later," he told reporters after the meeting which was opened by Melor State Assemblyman Dr Md Yusnan Yusof, at Dewan Haji Yusuf Ar-Rawa, Sunday.

In March, PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali felt that hudud, which the Kelantan PAS government wanted to implement, need not be hastened as it was not a joint policy of Pakatan Rakyat.

He said the joint policy which was agreed to by DAP and PAS was related to the economy, education and security. In fact, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang himself had stated the same stand in 2010.

On March 18, Abdul Hadi, who is also the Marang Member of Parliament, had submitted a notice to the Dewan Rakyat to table the bill.

On the division's stand if PKR nominated its president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the by-election, Omar said it was still too early to talk about it.

Asked about the 'surprise' which would be made by Permatang Pauh PAS if PKR and DAP went against the party's struggles, Omar said: "It won't be a surprise any more if I tell you now".

He said at the same time the division did not aspire to turn its back on the party leadership in making any consideration. Earlier, Omar in his speech said the Permatang Pauh PAS division would come up with a small 'surprise' at the by-election if their associates (PKR and DAP) offended the party's struggle.

He said the division was prepared to face the challenges and tests which would be brought in by its associates or enemies during the by-election.

"We want the by-election campaign to be smooth and orderly. Don't ever challenge the greatness of Islam upheld by PAS. We are still in Pakatan Rakyat. We don't allow any form of violation of god's law," he said.

The Permatang Pauh Parliamentary by-election would be held following the Pardon Board's rejection of the royal pardon petition of the Member of Parliament in the area Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim which was sought by his family.

Anwar is undergoing a five-year jail for sodomising his former personal assistant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The Election Commission fixed polling day on May 7, nomination on April 25 and early voting on May 3.