A PAS leader has brushed off claims that the Islamic party engaged in talks with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim for political negotiations following the turmoil in Perikatan Nasional (PN).
PAS central committee member Ahmad Amzad Hashim said he was never informed of any meetings or other discussions between the Islamic party’s leaders and the prime minister during official party meetings.
“To date, in the three monthly PAS central committee meetings as well as several special PAS meetings that I have attended, there was never any report or discussion about any other engagement with PMX (Anwar),” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia.
Amzad, the Kuala Terengganu MP, also said it was nothing out of the ordinary for party leaders who serve as menteri besar to liaise with the prime minister on state matters, as this is part of their official responsibilities.
He was commenting on allegations by Jeli Umno Youth information chief Wan Mahussin Wan Zain that PAS had held meetings with the prime minister following the internal crisis in PN.
Amzad said the matter was also never discussed informally among PAS leaders outside of official meetings.
“Even in informal conversations among us leaders, I have never heard of this. I regard the claim as a shot in the dark or mere speculation,” he said.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down as PN chairman effective Jan 1, following a political upheaval in Perlis which saw a change of menteri besar between PAS and Bersatu.
In the aftermath of political tensions between PAS and Bersatu, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh on Sunday defended the wing’s stance for his party to withdraw from the unity government and cooperate with the Islamic party.
He was responding to a statement by Wan Mahussin, who warned that such a move would continue to weaken the party’s influence.
