Umno’s glee

“Isu kita ialah isu dua tiga kerat pemimpin bermasalah…

“Begitu juga dengan isu-isu disekitar Hassan Ali atau Mustafa Ali yang tak habis-habis dengan nak bekerjasama PAS dengan Umno ke arah kerajaan perpaduan atau UG (unity government).

“Untuk kali ini, saya dengan kuat merasakan bahawa perlu ada perubahan dalam pemain-pemain penting yang menduduki kerusi kepimpinan PAS diperingkat pusat. Kalau nak kata ini persiapan ke arah PRU ke 13 pun, kata gi lah.”

PAS spiritual adviser and Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to remove leaders who were supportive of cooperating with Umno. His statement, apart from rocking the party, also sparked off comments by Umno’s leaders seeking to exploit a divided PAS. (Source: PAS: Keperluan Muktamar Khas Luarbiasa?, www.blogtokguru.com, 22 Oct 2009)

The party constitution states that an emergency muktamar can only be called by either the president, by at least one-third of the 37-member central committee, or by one-third of the party’s 170 branches. The PAS central working committee is to hold a special meeting tonight, 28 Oct 2009, to hear Nik Aziz’s concerns.

“There are certain quarters who give more importance to politics than the interest of the ummah.

“We appreciate those who see Umno as representing the Malays, as a party which has done a lot of good deeds in the struggle of the ummah and in taking care of the interests of other races.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, speaking in Thailand after the 15th Asean Summit. Najib, who is also Umno president, said Nik Aziz’s call for an EGM to remove those who supported Umno was evidence of a split in the party between those who wanted Malay Malaysian and Muslim unity, and those who did not. (Source: PAS divided about cooperating with Umno — Najib, Bernama, 25 Oct 2009)

“Whether PAS has an issue with a unity government or not, I think there is more to it than that.

“I don’t think that is the only problem as there are vast differences in opinion among their leaders. Nik Aziz’s rejection of the unity talks could just be one part of it.”

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who also said PAS had more underlying conflicts that would surface soon. The Umno deputy president said PAS’s internal differences had emerged regarding the Islamist party‘s position in the Pakatan Rakyat alliance, where component party members have ideological differences. (Source: ‘Talks only if PAS unites’, New Straits Times, 26 Oct 2009)

“Kemungkinan juga, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) dan DAP turut memberikan tekanan memandangkan kedua-dua parti itu tidak menyenangi usul penubuhan kerajaan perpaduan.”

Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan, suggesting that PKR and the DAP had a hand in Nik Aziz’s call for an EGM. Ahmad said this was because there appeared to be no other motive for the EGM than to oust those in PAS who supported unity talks with Umno. (Source: Ibarat satu kapal dua nakhoda, Utusan Malaysia, 26 Oct 2009)

“It’s about time he goes. Like me also lah, when you become old, you become nanyuk (senile).”

“I am of the opinion that leaders should not hold on to their positions for too long as they would become kolot (out of date).

“Before people say when is this old man going to go, you should go. Then only people will remember you. If you wait for people to kick you out then people will say nasty things about you.”

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad‘s two sen on Nik Aziz’s call for an EGM to oust pro-Umno leaders. On how unity talks between PAS and Umno could work, Mahathir said both sides should “give and take”, and that he did not see Umno “giving” to PAS. (Source: Dr Mahathir: It’s now time for Nik Aziz to step down, The Star, 27 Oct 2009)

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