PAS is wrong to call for rival party DAP to be banned as such moves will only backfire, said PKR president Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
He said the Islamist party should not be trapped in an old mindset of wanting to ban things it does not approve of.
“I think PAS is still stuck on its old mindset in calling for the ban. That is old politics.
“If you teach the new government of its power to ban parties, that is dangerous. And, it is dangerous for PAS, too,” the Port Dickson MP said.
He was referring PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man’s call for the government to ban DAP for being a threat to national security, citing its alleged Christian agenda, links to terror groups like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and promotion of communism through a comic book.
Tuan Ibrahim had said that because police had strong evidence against the DAP leaders arrested over alleged links to the LTTE, that it was not merely a political issue but one of “national security”.
In 2012, Tuan Ibrahim, who was PAS information chief at the time, had urged the National Fatwa Council to issue a fatwa against DAP for its opposition to Islamic rule in the country and hudud law.
On a separate matter, Anwar said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government has the prerogative to choose the prime minister.
He was responding to PAS’ remarks about its preference.
Anwar said PAS expressing support for Dr Mahathir was part of the Opposition’s plans to cause friction in the ruling coalition.
“When we were Opposition, we never asked for the ruling party to name their next PM candidate from Umno,” said Anwar.
He reiterated that PH leaders have already commented on the power transition from Dr Mahathir to him.
“This has been answered by Muhyiddin (PPBM president, Kit Siang (DAP leader), and also PKR leaders, that we will bring this matter to the PH presidential council.
“The ruling coalition now will be the ones to decide who will lead the country,” said Anwar.