Nasharuddin: Nizar did not brief party

KUALA LUMPUR, 16 June 2009: PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa has refuted reports that top party leaders did not support Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin‘s actions in Parliament yesterday that led to his suspension.

“I didn’t say that I was distancing myself [from Nizar]. But how he wanted to do it, [we were] not briefed,” Nasharuddin said today, adding that the embattled Perak menteri besar’s actions were “spontaneous”.

Nizar (File pic) Yesterday, after his swearing in as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Gantang, Nizar led shouts of “Bubarkan DUN!” and “Hidup Rakyat!” in demanding for the Perak state assembly to be dissolved.

Nizar and seven other MPs were subsequently suspended from the house for two days after refusing to remove headbands which said: “Bubar DUN!!”

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament lobby today, Nasharuddin, however, refused to say whether he supported Nizar’s call for the dissolution of the Perak state assembly.

“Whether I agree or not agree, the incident has already happened,” Nasharuddin said.

“The message that (Nizar) wanted to send has reached the world,” he said. “It proves that the Perak state opposition is not happy with the political upheaval.”

Nasharuddin was responding to an Agenda Daily news report yesterday that concluded that “PAS leaders did not support Nizar’s actions that caused uproar in the Dewan Rakyat”.

On possible PAS talks with Umno on a national unity government with the Barisan Nasional (BN), Nasharuddin said: “Our stand is that PAS is always open to speaking to anyone. This was a decision from our muktamar in Ipoh in 2008, and was mentioned again in (PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang‘s) policy speech at this year’s muktamar.”

“The issue of PAS entering Barisan Nasional does not arise at all. It is not in the agenda of any PAS leader,” Nasharuddin said.

“But we are not shutting out the opportunity to talk to anyone. We feel we have a part to play in developing this nation,” he added.

NasharuddinEarlier today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was quoted as saying that Umno was ready to hear PAS’s unity government proposal.

“I accept the prime minister’s response with an open heart,” Nasharuddin, who has come under fire within PAS for supporting talks with Umno, said.

However, Nasharuddin said he would not be able to answer on the party’s behalf as Hadi was presently overseas.

Nasharuddin added that he would bring possible talks with Umno to the attention of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), of which PAS is a member together with DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

“We will hold a meeting with PR leaders at the next possible opportunity,” he said.

Talks notwithstanding, he said this would have no effect on the upcoming Manik Urai by-election.

“We are ready to face Umno in Manik Urai,” Nasharuddin said.