DAP ticks off Nasrudin over "DAP-friendly president" remark

Several DAP leaders ticked off Temerloh MP Nasrudin Hassan for accusing the party of trying to influence members to install a "DAP-friendly president" in the June party elections.

Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari said never at any point did DAP tried to influence the Islamist party to oust its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, whom Nasruddin said "did not dance to DAP’s tune."

“How do we do that? No no no. This is entirely between DAP and PAS in the sense that we are reacting to what we see as a betrayal,” said Zairil, referring to PAS’ move to enforce hudud laws in Kelantan.

PAS is tabling a private member’s bill in Parliament to pave the way for hudud's implementation in Kelantan.

Zairil, who is DAP central executive committee member, said PAS had not consulted DAP or PKR over the hudud move.

“This is an act of betrayal and nothing more,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Wednesday.

DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng had said DAP will sever ties with Hadi but "will stay on" in Pakatan Rakyat and cooperate with PAS.

Nasrudin said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that by severing ties with Hadi, DAP wanted a "PAS president who follows their wishes.”

“Of course what DAP is wishing for cannot be materialised because Hadi is still the leader of the party. This means that DAP wants an upcoming PAS president who can fulfill their needs and wishes,” he wrote.

DAP's Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming said there was no way the party could influence how PAS members vote.

“We can’t influence how PAS members vote. We have just declared that it is difficult for us to work with Hadi at this point of time. PAS members have to decide for themselves,” Ong told reporters.

Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Loon said DAP was only severing ties with Hadi.

“We are not influencing other parties. Let the party solve their own problem,” he said.