KLANG: PAS must prove that it is a party which upholds its principles by getting all three of its executive councillors in the Selangor government to quit their posts, a senior DAP leader said.
Selangor DAP vice-chairman Datuk Teng Chang Khim said he had expected the PAS Syura Council to back the Dewan Ulama’s call to severe ties with DAP and that the three PAS excos must now resign.
“They have to be consistent and principled, otherwise they are just hypocrites,” said Teng, a former Selangor State Assembly Speaker who is now a state executive councillor.
Asked if Mentri Besar Azmin Ali should decide on the fate of PAS exco members Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad, Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi and Zaidy Talib, Teng said PAS should make that decision.
“No one can stop them from deciding to severe ties with DAP. So the decision to withdraw from the state government must also be made by the party,” he added.
Selangor DAP committee member and Klang MP Charles Santiago said PAS should officially “exempt” Selangor from its move to severe ties with DAP or working together in the state exco would be untenable.
Iskandar, the Selangor PAS commissioner, said PAS would continue working together with DAP in the state government.
“Ties and cooperation in the state government based on positions such as executive councillors, local councillors and village headmen will continue in line with the people’s mandate in the 13th general election,” said Iskandar, who is a PAS vice-president.
He said Selangor PAS would also continue working together with DAP at other levels pending instructions from up above.
PKR Supreme Council member William Leong said PKR, DAP and PAS would continue to work together in Selangor for practical reasons.
He said there would be a problem if Selangor PAS decided to severe ties with Selangor DAP.
“But if it comes to that, we have a solution. PKR and DAP is enough to form the state government and we have lots of options if the three can’t work together,” he said.
PAS and DAP hold 15 seats each, while PKR and Barisan Nasional hold 13 and 12 seats respectively in the Selangor state legislative assembly.
Former MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who is the Port Klang assemblyman, is the only independent candidate.