PAS will not be participating in the November 19 rally organised by Bersih 2.0, the Islamist party’s secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said today.
He added that though his party still supports the electoral reform coalition’s original goals, its current aims no longer match PAS’s, Sinar Online reported today.
“We have our own methods to be an effective Opposition in this country in line with the maturing political culture and PAS’ current prosperity now,” he told the Malay news portal.
However, he added that the leadership had yet to decide whether or not to allow its members to participate.
Takiyuddin also rejected the view that PAS is now “with BN” if it doesn’t join in the Bersih 5 rally.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that because we do not support one side, we support the other side, that theory cannot be applied across the board,” he was quoted saying.
He highlighted that PAS had fought against the Barisan National coalition as recently as the June 18 parliamentary by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar.
For the past two years now, PAS leaders have been slowly distancing the party from involvement with Bersih 2.0.
The country’s oldest Opposition party withheld manpower support for the overnight Bersih 4 rally last year, frowning at the date of the street demonstration that was chosen to coincide with the August 31 Merdeka Day celebrations in the national capital.
PAS’ efficient volunteer squad called Unit Amal had helped manage crowd control in past instalments of the Bersih rallies.-malaymailonline
