by Pauline Puah, The Edge
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Umno held talks with PAS after the March 8 general election with the hope of reversing the setback it suffered not just in Selangor but other states as well, former Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo said yesterday.
Mohd Khir said he arranged for three PAS leaders — deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa, central election director Mustapha Ali and central political bureau member Khalid Samad — to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the premier’s residence soon after the election.
“Our intention was to form a state coalition government in Selangor and then make inroads (into other states) in the country,” he told The Edge Financial Daily in a telephone interview.
However, PAS leaders had delayed their response to Umno’s offer, saying that they needed to revert to their party leadership, Mohd Khir said.
Nasharuddin finally told Mohd Khir that PAS rejected the proposal because “the time is not yet right”, the former menteri besar said.
Mohd Khir put the blame for the breakdown of the meeting on Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s close friend, PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar.
“I think it’s Kamarudin Jaffar who influenced other PAS leaders not to work with us,” he said.
In a posting on his blog dated July 20, Mohd Khir had said that Anwar had established PR based on the principle of equality, giving Islam the same status as other religions in the country and treating Malays and non-Malays as one because the former deputy premier “did not want the Malays to be united”.
“That’s why Anwar has attracted huge support from Chinese extremists in DAP and Indian extremists in Hindraf,” he said in the posting.
In the telephone interview, Mohd Khir said that Umno and PAS have no differences in principle as “we share the same principle of the struggle for Islam, Malays and the country”.
“When we have a strong Malay political culture, then we will have a stable government and this will bring prosperity to the country,” he said.
Rejecting the suggestion that his blogpost is racist, Mohd Khir said Malays are the majority race in this country and that “they have not asked for more than what they need”.
“When Malay politics is weak, (see) what is happening to the country now?” he asked.
The PAS-Umno meetings have been in the headlines after Abdullah disclosed on Sunday that he had met three top decision-makers in PAS three times since the March 8 general election.
On Monday, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed the meetings and that the PAS central committee and Majlis Syurah Ulama (Consultative Council of Religious Scholars) had been informed about the matter.
Khalid was reported as saying that Mohd Khir had proposed during the meeting that Umno and PAS form a coalition government in Selangor.
He said Mohd Khir had also hinted to them that he was willing to become deputy menteri besar if Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hassan Mohamed Ali was made menteri besar.
Hassan is now Selangor state executive councillor overseeing Islamic affairs, Malay culture, infrastructure and public amenities.
Selangor is ruled by the PR coalition, in which Parti Keadilan Rakyat holds 15 seats, DAP 13 and PAS eight. Barisan Nasional coalition parties control 20 seats in the state.
Although Mohd Khir acknowledged making the suggestion that Hassan be menteri besar, he denied that the aim was to pave the way for him to get a post.
“I did not ask for any posts. I love Selangor so much. It’s not about me, but the people of Selangor. My hope is Selangor will be better under a strong government,” he said.
Countering the idea that such talks could be seen as a betrayal of the people’s choice in the election, he retorted: “I want to see a stable and strong government. With the backing of the federal government, we can move on better.”
He said Umno is open to having more meetings with PAS leaders in the future.
Khalid, who is the Shah Alam member of parliament, rebutted Mohd Khir’s views when The Edge Financial Daily spoke to him.
He said he would not support any move to have further meetings with Umno because it was proven that the party was not sincere about holding talks for the interests of the Malays and Islam.