PETALING JAYA: Bersatu has blamed PAS for Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) collapse, accusing its former ally of betraying coalition partners, undermining democratic principles and attempting to seize control of the opposition bloc.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) decision to cancel PN’s registration today vindicated the party’s Aug 11 complaint over alleged constitutional violations within the coalition.
He accused PAS of attempting to portray itself as a victim of political persecution to gain public sympathy ahead of the Melaka state election, despite what he described as its failure to uphold democratic practices and good governance.
“Stop the propaganda and extreme identity politics.
“The fact is that PAS failed to manage an organisation based on the principles of democracy and good management, and frequently betrayed its partners,” he said in a statement today.
Azmin warned that PN should not become a political vehicle for factions seeking to monopolise power at the expense of its founding principles.
“PN cannot be a refuge for a group that is power-hungry and has sought to hijack the PN brand, which is moderate, progressive and responsive to the needs of Malaysians,” he said.
He alleged that Bersatu had been denied its constitutional rights to attend, express its views and vote at PN’s Supreme Council meeting on July 16, in breach of Clause 7.1 of the coalition’s constitution.
Azmin further claimed that the PAS-led leadership had created conditions that threatened Bersatu’s membership, including attempts to remove the party through veto powers allegedly exercised by individuals who did not hold positions on the Supreme Council.
Although Azmin said the RoS decision vindicated Bersatu’s complaint, he acknowledged that the deregistration was difficult for the party to accept, given its role as a founding member of PN.
He said Bersatu would examine the RoS decision before convening its Supreme Council to determine its next course of action, including efforts to rebuild public confidence in a moderate political coalition.
Earlier, the RoS said PN’s explanation submitted on Oct 12 had failed to sufficiently address the grounds outlined in its Sept 22 show-cause notice, prompting the cancellation of the coalition’s registration under the Societies Act 1966.