Wrong to declare other Malay parties the enemy, says PAS

Perikatan Nasional (PN) component member PAS has said it will not agree with any call to declare Malay-based political groups the enemy, indicating the party's disagreement with a recent speech by the coalition's chairman.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the party supported the call by its top leader Hashim Jasin, who criticised PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin over his speech in which he declared Umno the main enemy at the coming polls.

"Such a statement is not proper and strange when the party labelled as the main enemy is a consensus partner in the government," Takiyuddin said in a statement tonight.

He also urged the party's leaders and members to prioritise Muslim unity.

"In this regard, PAS will not accept the stance of any party that labels other Muslim-Malay groups as the main enemy, let alone in matters of their position and power in the administration of a country like Malaysia whose the majority are Muslims."

On Saturday, Muhyiddin lashed out at Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN), saying they remained PN's main enemy at the coming polls.

He also said there was no use speculating about whether PN and BN would work together at the next general election.

Umno leaders aligned with jailed former prime minister Najib Razak and party chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi have repeatedly rejected any form of cooperation with Bersatu, the party formed by Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the peak of the 1MDB saga.

PAS meanwhile has attempted to make peace between the two Malay parties, and has been trying to convince Umno to accept Bersatu into Muafakat Nasional, the agreement signed between PAS and Umno when the two were in the opposition during Pakatan Harapan's rule.