Pas-Bersatu on the verge of breaking up - Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR - Several internal issues currently affecting Perikatan Nasional (PN) suggest that the relationship between Pas and Bersatu is on the verge of breaking up, said Pakatan Harapan (PH) Communications Director Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, who is also the Information Chief of PKR, described the Pas-Bersatu relationship as increasingly strained due to the ongoing dispute over the issue of the ‘poster boy’ (Prime Minister candidate) within PN and, more recently, the dismissal of Bersatu representatives in the Perlis Cabinet reshuffle.

In addition to internal issues, Fahmi also described the opposition's performance in providing checks and balances, especially in the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament), as lacklustre.

"Recently, we saw the chairman of PN being pressured to find a new 'poster boy,' Bersatu reps being dropped from Perlis Cabinet, and Bersatu top leadership not invited to a major event in Terengganu. These are signs of weakness within PN and an increasingly fractured relationship, which is becoming clearer by the day.

"...and the opposition's performance in Parliament is lacklustre as they are unable to discuss substantive issues. For two consecutive years, they have failed to present an alternative budget. We can clearly see this as a relationship that is on the verge of a break-up,” he told reporters after the launch of the MYTV Mana-Mana app at Proton IHU here today.

Fahmi said this when asked about the removal of two Bersatu assemblymen from the Perlis State Executive Council under the leadership of PN, yesterday.

According to a report by a local news portal, the assemblymen were not dropped from the State Executive Council due to their work performance but more because of politics.

Previously, internal disputes within PN became evident when Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, in a statement, proposed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the PN’s sole candidate for the prime minister’s post for the upcoming general election, but the proposal was rejected by Pas Spiritual Leader Hashim Jasin who insisted that Pas was more qualified to lead PN.

On another development concerning the language issue on business signage, Fahmi, who is also Communications Minister, said each local authority already has its own rules and regulations regarding the use of language on shop or business signage, which traders must understand and comply with.

"Therefore, the issue should not be politicised. However, in terms of enforcement, it is hoped that actions will not be taken only when the issue becomes viral on social media. Continuous monitoring should be carried out.

"If the signage was identified as violating regulations from the beginning, actions should be taken promptly without waiting for so long as this could create a wrong perception among the public. Fair treatment must be given from the start,” he said.

The issue of business signage not using the national language went viral on social media recently, sparking controversy and becoming a hot topic of debate among lawmakers in Parliament. - BERNAMA