Noting that two PAS divisions in Penang – Permatang Pauh and Bayan Baru – had recently passed motions to cut links with PKR, Lim said such moves were meant to lay the groundwork for the party to eventually cooperate with Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) in a “plus one” coalition.
Lim said PAS ought to have a “clear-cut” direction on who the party wanted to support, or risk losing voter confidence.
He said the political development in Penang contrasted with the situation in Selangor where PAS supported PKR in the Selangor government. But, he said, that would also change.
“It is only a matter of time. They will abandon PKR to work with Umno and BN. It is their right, but they must have a clear-cut direction,” the Penang chief minister said at a press conference in Komtar here today.
“When they work with Umno, they have to split with PKR,” he said, adding that the move was expected. “At the end of the day, they are going to work with Umno.”
Lim said PAS had done the same thing in laying the groundwork before splitting with DAP in 2015.
“If we allow PAS to delay and drag this out, it would affect confidence among the voters (towards the opposition partnership), because people would wonder where we stood.”
Asked about talks between Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and PAS on possible cooperation, Lim said it was unlikely to happen. He said PAS was “very clear” it would not work with PPBM.