ALOR STAR: PAS welcomes Barisan Nasional MPs if they want to cross over to join the alternative front.

But they should do it out of sincerity and not because they are enticed with money or forced, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said.

Abdul Hadi said this when dismissing speculation that its partner PKR was making attempts to “buy over” some Barisan Nasional MPs.

“Prove it. Let the ACA (Anti Corruption Agency) take action if such allegations are true.

“We know that attempts to buy over is rampant among the Barisan Nasional leaders. It is not in the alternative front’s culture to resort to bribery and force,” he said.

Abdul Hadi was speaking to newsmen after an impromptu meeting with representatives of Chinese, Indian and Siamese communities at the Kedah Mentri Besar’s official residence in Mentaloon yesterday.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was quoted in media reports as saying that the party welcomed Barisan assemblymen and MPs who wished to cross over to join the alternative front.

Hadi also said some Umno members and non-governmental organisations had been trying to entice PAS to hold discussions with Umno on ways to strengthen the position of Malays and Islam.

“But Umno has lost its credibility to talk about the Malays and Islam because they have spoiled the image of the Malays and Islam,” he said.

Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who was also present, said the Malay leaders in Umno used the divide and rule policy practised by the British.

Nik Aziz said he had quietly given land to poor Indians in Kelantan because he did not want the opposition Barisan leaders in Kelantan to make an issue out of it.

On Thursday night, PAS’ Maulidur Rasul ceramah at Stadium Suka Menanti attracted more than 200,000 people.

It was the first time the PAS ceramah was held in a stadium in Kedah.

“When Barisan ruled Kedah, I had to escape from ceramah venues on motorcycles on three occasions because police personnel were deployed to disperse the gatherings,” claimed Nik Aziz.

Minda Global Blogger