Referring to a statement by the late Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat’s son, Nik Mohamad Abduh, that his father foresaw the demise of PR, Daniel John Jambun said it was already an open secret.
“He (Nik Abduh) claimed that DAP had a hidden agenda in opposing PAS. He said that was the reason why the two parties could not work together. But it was PAS who was not a team player and made things difficult for PR.
“Pakatan Harapan (PH) is a much better set up but weaker without PAS. PH and PAS will never come together. The latter remaining outside the alliance will split opposition votes. If PAS is not with PH, it can only benefit Umno,” Jambun said.
With PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang, rarely attending meetings of the PR Leadership Council, the supreme policy-making body, Jambun felt that the end of PR was inevitable.
“This was more so when Hadi ‘vetoed’ decisions of the PR Leadership Council attended by his own deputy at the time, Mohamad Sabu. It was a misreading of the ‘agree to disagree’ position adopted by PR’s Common Policy Framework (CPF).
“Outside the meeting, he was busy projecting PAS through the hudud issue as a one-horse party.
Jambun, who heads the UK-based Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (Bopim), also said Hadi ignored the fact that under the CPF, decisions taken by the PR Leadership were based on consensus.
“It was an unmitigated disaster after the passing of PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz.”
The Bopim chief faults PAS, and Hadi in particular, for the Islamist party’s inability to work with DAP.
“The Islamists couldn’t even get along with their party members made up of professionals and progressives.
“In fact, it was the Islamists who betrayed the professionals and progressives, through bloc voting, and forced them to leave the party and form Amanah,” Jambun said.
In 2008, Opposition parties – DAP, PKR, PAS and PSM – worked out an agreement to avoid three-cornered fights against the BN in the 12th General Election.
Having denied BN the two-third majority in Parliament and winning four states – Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Perak; aside from keeping Kelantan – talks began for a new Opposition coalition and this led to the founding of Pakatan Rakyat in April the same year.