Selangor PAS met Khir Toyo to defuse situation

Selangor PAS met Khir Toyo to defuse situation E-mail
Posted by kasee
Saturday, 15 March 2008

Husna Yusop

SHAH ALAM (March 14, 2008): Selangor PAS today admitted to having a meeting with former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo on Sunday (March 9).

However, Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Mohd Ali said the meeting was not to entertain negotiations with Barisan Nasional (BN) to form a mixed state government.

"It was to defuse the situation after the 12th General Election," he added.

Hasan said PAS only works with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP and will never have any collaboration with Umno.

"We have decided from the very beginning (of the general election), we will be together with PKR and DAP only. There will be no collaboration with Umno. Nothing to that effect. We have not discussed any offer (from BN)."

"Of course, we cannot stop anyone from talking to any Umno leaders on the basis of friendship but everyone is unanimous that we will not be entertaining any form of collaboration with BN," he told reporters in the party's state liaison office today.

Hasan said Selangor PAS agreed to the meeting with Mohd Khir as a tactic to ensure there would be no plan by BN to create violence in the state and if there was any, PAS should have advanced knowledge about it.

"We were not there to listen to their offer (to form a mixed government) but to know ahead of any plans which they might have and to calm down the situation so that BN will not resort to any unlawful actions.

"We want BN to feel there is still a chance to talk things out. So that they think we are not shutting our doors completely. It was a tactical move for the interest of the state and nation, in the event, they resort to violence," he said.

Hasan said PAS was very afraid of any such events as at that time (Sunday) the new Mentri Besar had not been appointed.

He said previously, there were rumours especially in the villages that should BN lost to the opposition in the election, there will be riots in the state.

Recently, there have been SMSes going around saying Kinrara assemblyman Teresa Kok has urged Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to do away with the New Economic Policy (NEP) in the state government administration.

According to the SMS, Malays in Selangor who love their nation and religion should gather at the Shah Alam Mosque after Friday prayers and walk to the state government building to condemn the move by the PKR-DAP coalition.

Hasan said it is believed the SMS was created by Umno as he trusted Kok to be rationale and smart enough not to do such a thing.

"DAP, or anyone for that matter, will not go against what is in the constitution. Although they might not agree with the NEP, they would never deny the special privilege for the Malays.

"DAP does not have any intention to oppress the Malays. They know the Malays also had voted for them. This is only an Umno propaganda," he said.

He said DAP, as well as other opposition parties, are not against the NEP as it has two very noble objectives which no one could dispute, but the problem lies with its implementation - the delivery system.

That was why, he said, PAS had come up with the welfare state concept to patch up the weaknesses in the NEP implementation.

"Within the first 100 days of our administration, we will bring to the people of Selangor the true fair and egalitarianism concept which they have never enjoyed before," he said.

In another development, Hasan said all PAS state exco members and assemblymen will contribute 30% of their basic allowance every month to help those in the lower income group.

Among other steps to be taken are:

* Exco members, MPs, and state assemblymen must declare their assets;
* Exco members must use their existing cars (not buy new ones);
* Exco members must not be involved in businesses;
* Exco members must not do major renovation to their offices or houses; and
* Events to celebrate victory must be borne by exco members or people's representatives themselves (not using public expenditure).

He also said within the transition period (among others):

* All staff in the state government secretary's office and all government agencies and departments will remain in their position;
* There will be no sacking of staff except in the case of those proven of malpractices; and
* Any public amenities used by any political parties will be surrendered to the state government according to the right procedures and regulations. - THE SUN