IN A rather demoralising tone, Penang PAS has reached out to UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki that “UMNO is weak and on the verge of being defeated” for choosing to co-exist with DAP in the unity government.
Probably in a last-ditch attempt to sway the support of UMNO grassroots which are unhappy with the party’s leadership for betraying its “no DAP, no Anwar” principle, the Islamist party further reminded the former UMNO Youth chief that “DAP which has no moral values has shown its extreme nature by openly slanders Islam”.
“Although DAP tried to present Muslim Malay candidates and colluded with the sacred Malay party (UMNO), this still does not legitimise its ideology which contradicts Islam,” justified Penang PAS information chief Abd Razib Abd Rahim in a Penang PAS Facebook post.
“The Malaysian Malaysia agenda which forms the basis of DAP’s struggle should not be accepted by Muslim Malay leaders. Politics without high moral grounds will cloud the goal of the struggle, mixing Islam and ignorance until finally succumbing to the group that opposes the Islamic Sharia.”
In a related development, Penang PAS deputy commissioner III Mohd Yusni Mat Piah has expressed optimism of Perikatan Nasional (PN) wresting control of “almost 20 seats in Penang” during the Aug 12 state polls.
He further highlighted prospect of a shift of voting trend to PN has become a concern to the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) alliance “till DAP had to embark on the 3R (race, religion, royalty) sentiment to win votes”.
“Penang has 40 state assembly seats, of which 26 seats are mixed seats with Malays as non-majority voters. However, another 14 seats are Malay seats with at least 60% Malay voters,” Yusni who is also the Penaga assemblyman pointed out.
In the last GE15 (15th General Election) , Penang saw Malay seats shift to PN which seized the Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor Parliament seats from BN while PH was defeated PH in the Permatang Pauh seat which is synonymous with (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s family.
“EC (Election Commission) data shows that PN won the largest share of support from first-time voters. While PH lost votes overall compared to their performance in GE14. BN also saw a reduction in votes,” added Yusni. – July 11, 2023
