PAS leaders afraid of dialogues on international platforms, says Puad

AN UMNO leader has echoed Khairy Jamaluddin’s earlier statement on the Keluar Sekejap podcast that PAS has little international presence and that the Islamist party must come out of its “SG4 shell” to show that they are accepted by the international community.

For context, SG4, or “state government four” refers to the group of four Perikatan Nasional-ruled states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis – with former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the unofficial adviser.

UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said PAS members has never attended any dialogues at the Harvard Business Club nor have they accepted invitations to any forums organised by the Council on Foreign Relations or Nikkei.

“Khairy also said the Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore (where he is a fellow), had invited PAS for a dialogue next year but a PAS leader had turned down the offer,” Puad noted in a statement on Facebook today (Oct 31).

“Attending conferences held in the Middle East are insufficient. Even more so, Haji Hadi (PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang) had failed as a (former) special convoy to the Middle East as he had failed to help increase the official haj quota.”

In 2021, Putrajaya under the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin administration had made a request to Saudi Arabia for the official haj quota to be increased in tandem with Malaysia’s increase in population to 31.95 million.

“PAS leaders are afraid of dialogues on international platforms especially with business leaders and international media. PAS’ capabilities are limited simply to SG4. PAS is not capable enough to administer the country,” Puad continued.

Previously, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari had dismissed Khairy’s claim of the party’s lack of international presence, saying its representatives are often invited to conferences held in the Middle East.

Speaking to FMT, Ahmad Fadhli had said that they don’t get much coverage despite the fact they attended these conferences, and therefore, the public is not aware.

“And, at our end, we do not publicise our involvement in such events,” he added. – Oct 31, 2023

 

Main pic credit: Sumberkini

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