SHAH ALAM – Pas has openly questioned the level of trust between itself and Bersatu, suggesting that unresolved disputes from previous political episodes continue to cast a shadow over cooperation within Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Pas Information Chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said political relationships built on mutual understanding and trust cannot be measured solely through public statements, but must also be judged by actions taken during critical moments.
His remarks came after Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin expressed his desire to maintain good relations with Pas within PN.
While Fadhli said he did not doubt Muhyiddin's sincerity, he argued that several past incidents had left lingering questions about Bersatu's commitment to collective decision-making within the coalition.
"Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild," he wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.
He pointed to the dispute in Perlis, where Bersatu was alleged to have rushed to submit the name of a Menteri Besar candidate from the party without prior consultation with Pas.
Fadhli said questions surrounding the episode remain unresolved, particularly over claims involving statutory declarations allegedly signed by Bersatu assemblymen and three former Pas assemblymen to withdraw support for a Pas Menteri Besar.
He said Pas' internal investigations had confirmed the existence of the statutory declarations based on admissions made by the former PAS representatives.
"The bigger issue is trust. If before GE16 Bersatu could submit the name of its own Menteri Besar candidate without any consultation with Pas, what guarantee is there that the same thing will not happen again after the next election?" he said.
Fadhli also cited developments in Negeri Sembilan, where he claimed a collective position agreed upon by PN assemblymen was later altered through a Bersatu Political Bureau decision without consultation with Pas or other PN leaders.
He questioned the explanation that Pas leaders could not be contacted before the decision was made, asking why a jointly agreed position needed to be changed so urgently.
He said both the Perlis and Negeri Sembilan episodes have had a significant impact on the level of confidence between PN component parties.
"Relationships can continue. Cooperation can be strengthened again. But trust is a different matter," he said.
Fadhli stressed that any future decisions made by Pas would likely take into account not only current political realities but also a series of events that had gradually eroded trust within the coalition.
"Trust is not built through speeches. It is built through actions and when trust is damaged, rebuilding it is far more difficult than destroying it," he added.