KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 26): Several internal issues currently affecting Perikatan Nasional (PN) suggest that the relationship between PAS and Bersatu is on the verge of breaking up, said Pakatan Harapan communications director Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, who is also the information chief of PKR, described the PAS-Bersatu relationship as increasingly strained due to the ongoing dispute over the issue of the ‘poster boy’ (prime minister candidate) within PN and, more recently, the dismissal of Bersatu representatives in the Perlis Cabinet reshuffle.
In addition to internal issues, Fahmi also described the opposition's performance in providing checks and balances, especially in the Dewan Rakyat, as lacklustre.
“Recently, we saw the chairman of PN being pressured to find a new 'poster boy', Bersatu reps being dropped from the Perlis Cabinet, and Bersatu's top leadership not invited to a major event in Terengganu. These are signs of weakness within PN and an increasingly fractured relationship, which is becoming clearer by the day.
“And the opposition's performance in Parliament is lacklustre, as they are unable to discuss substantive issues. For two consecutive years, they have failed to present an alternative budget. We can clearly see this as a relationship that is on the verge of a break-up,” Fahmi told reporters after the launch of the MYTV Mana-Mana app at Proton IHU here on Tuesday.
Fahmi said this when asked about the removal of two Bersatu assemblymen from the Perlis State Executive Council under the leadership of PN on Monday.
According to a report by a local news portal, the assemblymen were not dropped from the State Executive Council due to their work performance, but more because of politics.
It was reported that Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu in a previous statement proposed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as PN’s sole candidate for the prime minister’s post for the next general election, but the proposal was rejected by PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin, who insisted that PAS is more qualified to lead PN.
On another development concerning the language on business signage, Fahmi, who is also the communications minister, said each local authority already had its own rules and regulations regarding the use of language on shop or business signage, which traders must understand and comply with.
“The issue should not be politicised. However, in terms of enforcement, it is hoped that action will not be taken only when the issue becomes viral on social media. Continuous monitoring should be carried out.
“If the signage was identified as violating regulations from the beginning, action should be taken promptly without waiting for so long, as this could create a wrong perception among the public. Fair treatment must be given from the start,” he said.
The issue of business signage not using the national language went viral on social media recently, sparking controversy and becoming a hot topic of debate among lawmakers in Parliament.
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