The Malaysian Observer
Has anyone else noticed Pakatan’s latest’s tactic using the fear factor to force PAS back into the fold?
This is the most recent ploy used after DAP-led Pakatan’s De facto leader Lim Kit Siang was unsuccessful in trying to lure PAS back into the fold. After that attempt failed, Clare Rewcastle-Brown the editor and chief of Sarawak Report went on the attack and accused Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang of accepting a bribe. Allegedly the bribe was supposed to be connected to funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Sarawak Report wanted Malays to think that, if the Prime Minister is accused of taking 1MDB money and PAS President Hadi Awang accepts illegal 1MDB money then he is also tainted.
However, accusing the PAS President of bribery has backfired as Clare Rewcastle-Brown did not anticipate Haidi Awang asking his lawyers to bring her to court over her claim; a claim which she failed to prove.
While the dream was being played out in the London court, a Muslim face of DAP-led Pakatan was sent to again encourage PAS President Hadi Awang to bring PAS back into the fold; an effort that was also met with failure.
Seeing that the direct approach was getting them (DAP-led Pakatan) nowhere, a new tactic was put into play; using ‘fear’ to scare PAS into returning.
DAP-led Pakatan wants PAS to fear losing ‘political power’.
Articles have started to appear with the sole purpose of making PAS fearful about their prospects in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14).
An article in Berita daily reads: research house says ‘Opposition Bickering Good for BN’.
http://www.beritadaily.com/research-house-says-opposition-bickering-good-for-bn/
Another article which is cause fear in the PAS rank and file appeared in the Malaysia Chinese news under the heading ‘PAS may lose heavily in a three-cornered fight’.
Trying to add to PAS fear, there is the following article that mentions how ‘PAS will not be a factor in Selangor’.
http://www.malaysia-today.net/pas-will-not-be-a-factor-in-selangor-in-ge14/
Malaysia Mail Online (MMO) carried that following story from Singapore daily; The Straits Times (ST). The report states that ‘PAS may lose Kelantan in GE14’.
The common theme running through all of these articles is PAS should be afraid because it is weak and cannot hold on to power unless it runs back into the arms of Lim Kit Siang and his DAP-led Pakatan opposition.
However in addressing PAS’ so called weakness multimedia and communications minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak stated ‘PAS is not weak although it has left Pakatan Harapan’. He goes on to say…’although PAS had its ups and downs, the party members were always loyal to the party and its grassroots machinery was also strong’.
Read the full article below
DAP-led Pakatan using the fear of loss as a means to bring PAS back is severely misplaced. Lim Kit Siang and those aligned to his way of thinking must believe that the leadership in PAS is more concerned about power than about principles.
It is the belief that PAS cares more about power than they do about principles which gives further credence to what Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) has written ‘Why Chinese Do Not Understand PAS’; and which is why using the fear factor to bring PAS back to the (beer party) coalition will not work!
http://www.malaysia-today.net/why-chinese-do-not-understand-pas/
Source: The Malaysian Observer
