Mahathir ni cakap macam tak sedar diri la. Minta TGNA keluar atau tinggalkan PAS kerana katanya terlalu lama TGNA menguasai PAS.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today urged PAS spiritual leader Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz to step down, saying that the Kelantan mentri besar is doing more harm than good to the party by overstaying.
His statement, made against the backdrop of a power tussle in PAS, is apparently aimed at driving a deeper wedge into a party that is already split between factions keen on co-operating with Umno and those committed to Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
"He's been PAS leader for too long. He has overstayed his post and when you do that, you tend to get a bit senile... like me," Dr Mahathir said in jest at a press conference.
"I believe that no leader should stay on too long because if you do, you tend to become kolot (conservative)," he said, adding that was what people had called him when he stayed on as prime minister for 22 years.
Nik Aziz had recently made a bold call for PAS to hold a special assembly to oust “problematic” leaders, a statement believed to be targeted towards the pro Umno-PAS co-operation faction led by party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
The PAS spiritual leader believes Hadi's faction, consisting of deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali and Selangor chief Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, was hampering closer ties with its PR allies.
His statement rocked PAS and precipitated another crisis just after it barely survived Umno's attempt to split the pact by courting Hadi's faction.
Though Dr Mahathir seemed to be at odds with the whole "unity government" talks with PAS, the former premier however appears to be siding Hadi on this one.
He, just like other Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders, said Nik Aziz is a stooge to his sworn enemy, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"He wants to get rid of Hadi because he is under Anwar and Hadi wants to try and co-operate with Umno."
But Dr Mahathir is not all for co-operation with PAS either. He said for it to happen, both parties must "give and take".
"But Umno wants to take and PAS don't want to give... so how?" said the former premier with a smile.
- By Syed Jaymal Zahiid @ TMI
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