PAS is now in troubled waters as it pretends to be still in influential but the reality speaks otherwise as it is trying to overcome ‘shame’ for being looked down by DAP especially Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and chairman Karpal Singh.
DAP particularly the two leaders are taking PAS as just another ‘small party’ that has no backbone nor the strength to increase DAP’s votes in seats DAP will be contesting for the coming general election.
As far as DAP is concern, though not openly is that PAS is just another party that DAP can make use just to add figures to whatever the party (DAP) would get which may not amount to much given the trouble the party (PAS) is in right now.
DAP knows PAS in deep trouble when the party made a U-turn in the ALLAH issue and the hesitation in expelling the party former deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa.
PAS U-turn in the ALLAH issue has got the DAP very angry because the issue has sparked off religious division among the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) followers who are battle ready but now majority are thinking twice whether to go to the ‘war’.
The Muslims who are PAS followers and members are now split and keep their fighting spirit low as they watch the party leaders ‘do verbal battle’ with DAP Karpal Singh on both issues – use of the word ALLAH and the sacking of Nasharuddin.
For them, Karpal is getting ‘too much’ as to question the Syura Council’s decision on the ALLAH issue given Karpal putting pressure on party president Abdul Hadi Awang to change the council’s decision.
As for Nasharuddin’s case, DAP and PKR already got their way with the council’s decision but Pas faces internal problem with many members and supporters calling for the decision to be reverted.
Whatever the problem PAS faces now, they are actually the makings of ‘outsiders’ because all along, PAS leadership has got no problem with the two major issues.
The ALLAH issue, as far as PAS is concern, going by its fundamentalism philosophy, it is pure and exclusively for Muslims and Islam, just like the Syura Council Dr Harun Din explained.
Similarly with Nasharuddin, the party leadership had closed one-eye or rather just could not care less who the former deputy president befriend so long as it does not affect the party in any manner.
However, pressures from Karpal and DAP on PAS given the close relationship between Nasharuddin and UMNO may jeopardise Pakatan’s relationship with PAS, the party leadership has no choice but to ‘act’.
But the action taken is considered as ‘pat on the hand’ because the expulsion letter has not even been handed out to Nasharuddin.
In short, PAS leadership is actually playing ‘ball’ with Karpal and DAP and given the present situation with the nearing of the general election, PAS is expected to face trouble in ‘telling outright its position’ as DAP, the ‘de facto leader’ of Pakatan will want a straight answer.
With such a situation, it will be no surprise if PAS will go to the election on its own as DAP and PKR will find PAS of no use to them.
