PKR wants PAS to be part of new coalition

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has reiterated its stance to cooperate and support the participation of PAS in a new coalition, said its deputy president, Mohamed Azmin Ali.

He said it was the official position of the party that was always open to cooperation and accepted any political party that wanted to bring change in the country, rather than being his personal stance as alleged by certain parties.

"Two PKR vice president's - Nurul Izzah Anwar Ibrahim and Tian Chua - today clarified that it was the party's decision to continue working with PAS and PKR also wants PAS to participate in the new opposition coalition.

"In fact there are statements from leaders in Parti Amanah Negara (the new political party which is in the process of registration) like Salahuddin Ayub and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who have said that the party was open to discussions with PAS to form the coalition," the Selangor menteri besar told reporters here, today.

Azmin said this when asked to comment on the insistence of some DAP leaders, including its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh, to choose either DAP or PAS.

DAP's stance is not to cooperate with PAS and it does not want the Islamic party in the new opposition coalition.

DAP had previously announced that it would no longer work with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang following the party's decision to implement hudud in Kelantan.

Subsequently, PAS in its assembly in June had passed a motion to sever ties with DAP, while choosing to remain in the opposition, a decision which led to the dissolution of Pakatan Rakyat.