SUCH is the stance of PAS to the reaction of Singapore ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) leader/Prime Minister Lawrence Wong flagging the Islamist party for attempting to meddle in the city state’s upcoming general election.
Nevertheless, PAS acknowledged that both Singapore’s Home Ministry and Elections Department (ELD) have every right under the law to take any appropriate and reasonable measures to protect and safeguard their legitimate interests.
In so doing, the party distanced itself from its two leaders – treasurer-general Iskandar Abdul Samad and Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar – who cried foul to the Singapore government’s action to block access to their social media pages.
“… It must be emphasised that the posts in question represent their personal views and in no way reflect PAS’s official policy or stance as a political party – whether regarding Singapore as a nation or its ongoing processes,” the party’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan pointed out in a media statement.
“PAS believes that both individuals were merely expressing their personal opinions without any intention to interfere, let alone influence the outcome of the election scheduled for May 3 as alleged.”
Added Takiyuddin who is also the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief whip and Kota Bahru MP:
“Such reactions should not be construed as attempts to interfere unless they are followed by concrete steps with such intentions.
“PAS respects Singapore’s concerns and attention to this matter but at the same time, we also believe that Singapore’s reaction concerning the two PAS leaders was somewhat exaggerated and unilateral, especially considering PAS’s on-going good and mutually respectful relationship with the republic’s government.”
Singapore’s election campaign started last Wednesday (April 23) will last nine days – making it one of the world’s shortest – before voters head to the polls on May 3.
On the lighter vein, former The Star environment section editor Andrew Sia poked fun at PAS’ ‘selective intervention’ by asking why only Singapore was targetted.
“PAS promoting racial politics in Singapore! Hey, why not condemn Saudi Arabia for zero democratic elections la? Or wanita tertindas di Afghanistan (oppression against women in Afghanistan)? Tak berani ke (Are you not daring enough)? 😅😅” he teased in a recent Facebook post.
“PAS, don’t worry about Singapore Malays, they can easily migrate to Malaysia if they want – tapi gaji kena potong 70 peratus laa (but their salaries will be slashed by 70%) …”
Sia who is now a Malaysiakini columnist further shared some interesting reaction from Malay netizens on the matter: – April 29, 2025
