Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 16.11.2014.
PAS Misses The Simple Truth That The DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) Unanimous Resolution For PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang To Attend PR Leadership Council Meetings Is To Restore Public Trust And Confidence In PR That All 3 Component Parties Keeps Its Promises And Fulfill Its Commitments.
Since DAP publicly urged PAS President Hadi Awang to be present at all Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council meetings, PAS leaders have responded negatively. Clearly, PAS misses the simple truth that the DAP Central Executive Committee’s (CEC) unanimous resolution for PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to attend PR Leadership Council Meetings is to restore public trust and confidence in PR, that all 3 component parties keeps its promises and fulfill its commitments.
This is a reasonable request as Abdul Hadi is the only person in PAS with the sole authority to make decisions and enjoys absolute veto power, even over decisions made by PAS Central Committee. This makes Abdul Hadi’s presence in PR Leadership Council meetings necessarily compulsory if PR is to function in concert as a coalition, as well as ensure policy coherence and cohesion.
I regret that PAS leaders have tried to distract attention from this simple truth by claiming that PR can function even in the absence of Abdul Hadi’s, and making untruthful claims that I attended PR leadership council meetings less than Abdul Hadi. PAS leaders should check their facts first whether Hadi had attended PR leadership council meetings more than me.
However, the critical issue here is not about Hadi’s or my attendance record, but whether the respective parties’ representatives are authorized to decide on the parties’ behalf. Clearly only DAP and PKR representatives is authorized to do so, but as for PAS, it has to be the one and only Abdul Hadi. Abdul Hadi has displayed his full personal authority to override PAS Central Committee’s decision during the Selangor MB crisis. And Hadi had restated his absolute authority during the PAS Muktamar in Batu Pahat, without his declaration being challenged by anyone within PAS.
Whilst PR started off as a coalition of parties comprising PAS, PKR and DAP, it is now essentially PKR, DAP and Abdul Hadi. Out of respect for PAS and also Abdul Hadi’s absolute authority in PAS, DAP has sought for Hadi’s attendance at PR Leadership Council meetings.
As a coalition, PR cannot function properly if Hadi does not attend PR leadership Council meetings, causing both PKR and DAP having to play a guessing game on which decisions will be vetoed by Hadi. It is untenable for any coalition to operate in such a dysfunctional manner if we are to convince Malaysian voters that we have what it takes to replace BN as the next Malaysian government in Putrajaya.
That is the reason why the DAP CEC will wait until Hadi is available for PR Leadership Council meetings to give the public full assurances, that PR decisions are made in good faith and demonstrate unequivocal intent to keep its promises and fulfill its commitments. Failure to do so would not only negatively impact public perception on PAS but also on PR as a whole. I have conveyed DAP’s decision to Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
LIM GUAN ENG