PAS apologises to Gerakan president, orders members to close ranks and support Lau

PETALING JAYA: PAS does not condone the untoward incident during which Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau was asked to leave a Perikatan Nasional ceramah event in Penang by one of its members, said PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.

In a statement issued late last night (Aug 3), Takiyuddin said that as Muslims, PAS members must accord due respect to Lau as he is a president of a Perikatan component party.

He further said that PAS members should concede by the decision made by coalition leaders to have chosen Lau as the Bayan Lepas Perikatan candidate, even if there was unhappiness amongst them, in line with mature politics.

“PAS offers its uneasiness and apologises to the Gerakan President Lau which showed that he was not welcome at the PNBest Mega Ceramah even at Tasek Gelugor recently, which was also attended by PAS president Abdul Hadi.

“Even though Lau had denied that he was ‘asked to leave’ by a local PAS leader, for the central PAS leaders, his presence should have been welcomed and appreciated as a guest in line with the character and principles of Islam.

“PAS as any other parties realise that in a coalition, there tends to be unhappiness, disappointment and as such when it comes to matters of seat distribution or picking of candidates for a state or parliament seat.

“In the choice of Lau as the candidate for Bayan Lepas state seat which is a Malay-majority seat, PAS is aware of the sentiments among its members and supporters on the grounds.

“However, when a decision has been made by the top party leadership in accordance with the process and the conditions have been fulfilled, members and supporters must accept it with an open heart and trust the leadership of the party headed by Abdul Hadi (Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang).

“In the current political environment which is threatened by chauvinist and extreme narratives, as an Islamist party, the oldest and the biggest political party, PAS has a responsibility not only to demonstrate mature and moderate politics but also to assist and protect those who need it.

“Lau and his party needs our assistance and protection and I urge PAS members to offer all help on the basis of true friendship and sincerity in relationship.

“Put aside small things which should not be the reason for us to forgo the bigger success that we can achieve,” said Takiyuddin in the statement.

On Aug 1, a viral video showed a local PAS leader telling Lau that he was not invited to the PAS ceramah in Sungai Dua.

Lau, however, later denied that he was asked to leave the ceramah.

Lau said while it was true that Gerakan was not invited to attend the ceramah, he was definitely not asked to leave.

“I was there to see PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang but as the event ran late, I could not speak to him and left,” stated Lau then.