The party’s spiritual adviser, Hashim Jasin, said there was no truth to Mahathir’s allegation. “That is his (Mahathir) opinion. I have my own. But that doesn’t mean PAS has to abide by what Mahathir says as we have our own way,” he said.
Hashim said PAS had yet to state its stand about Pakatan Harapan because it had its own goals and principles. “It doesn’t mean that if we don’t support Pakatan, then we are supporting (Prime Minister) Najib Razak.”
He said “if you want to see the truth of [Mahathir’s] statement”, it should be viewed in the context of the coming general election..
Yesterday, Mahathir stated that a party claiming to be for the Malays was secretly supporting Najib’s administration and that the party may have received “dedak” (a euphemism often used to describe bribes) from Najib’s government.
PAS is the only major opposition party that has yet to commit itself to efforts at securing a united opposition front for straight fights against BN.
Mahathir has said that multi-cornered contests and a disunited opposition would only benefit BN.
Hashim said PAS was willing to talk to any party, including BN as well as Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, on any issue concerning the public.
However, no one should use that as an excuse to accuse the Islamic party of collaborating with BN.
“Our religion doesn’t forbid us from meeting or discussing with our enemies, and that is the policy practised by PAS,” he said. “So if it (BN) wants to talk to us on any issue, we are prepared to listen. It (BN) should also listen and consider what we have to say.”