Hadi Awang: New coalition to woo BN reps

Apr 1, 08 12:01pm

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has suggested a new opposition coalition that will encompass his Islamic party, PKR and DAP at a massive gathering of 25,000 supporters in Shah Alam’s Stadium Melawati last night.

hadi awang and pasAccording to Hadi Awang, the Barisan Rakyat coalition will open its arms to “colleagues” in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, in particular elected representatives from Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan.

He said that they can join the new BR coalition either as “individuals” or “en bloc”.

pas pkr dap stadium melawati shah alam 310308 01Talks of defection has rattled BN leaders as the opposition needs another 30 members of parliaments to claim the right to rule.

In last month’s general elections, BN won 140 seats in the new 222-seat parliament, against 199 in the outgoing 219-seat parliament. The opposition PKR-DAP-PAS alliance has 82 seats from just 20 previously, and five states.

pas pkr dap stadium melawati shah alam 310308 02PAS and PKR are current members of the Barisan Alternatif coalition, which was formed in 1999. DAP was an original member of BA but it left the pact two years after bitter disagreement with PAS over its Islamic state policy.

However, at a press conference this morning, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim announced the formation of a 'Pakatan Rakyat', the People's Alliance.

He said this new front will strengthen ties between the three disparate opposition parties.

PAS' rally to thank voters

At the ‘thanksgiving’ rally last night organised by PAS, Hadi Awang also spelled out some of the key agenda of Barisan Rakyat, leaving out the party’s Islamic state platform.

Among them are:

1. To amend or abolish all unjust and discriminatory laws, especially the Internal Security Act which allows detention without trial, Universities and University Colleges Act which restricts academic freedom, and the Official Secrets Act which makes government opaque.
2. To implement immediate electoral reforms, in particular relating to the task and operations of the Election Commission.
3. To ensure that the Anti-Corruption Agency be truly independent so that it can be effective in fighting graft and to stop any selective prosecution.
4. To restore public faith in the judiciary and to ensure that it is truly independent.