Bersatu calls out PN and Pas, saying 'don't play the victim'

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu has hit back at Perikatan Nasional and Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, saying "cowards" better describes PN leaders who avoid facing member parties.

Bersatu information chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said PN leaders should not "play the victim".

He said the term "cowards" could also be applied to those who abused administrative power and breached the PN constitution to deny Bersatu the right to attend the PN seat consultation committee meeting and the PN supreme council's extraordinary meeting.

"Do not talk about courage if the PN chairman (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar) and leaders do not dare to face their own member party. That is the real cowardice," he said in a statement.

Tun Faisal was responding to Takiyuddin, who earlier today in a press conference at the Dewan Rakyat called Bersatu "cowards" who "throw stones and hide their hands".

Takiyuddin, who is also Kota Baru member of parliament, claimed Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had spoken in the media of about eight complaints to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) but had not told PN what they were.

Tun Faisal said Takiyuddin had himself acknowledged being summoned by the RoS to explain the complaints.

"After giving evidence for four hours, it is impossible that he does not know what complaints Bersatu submitted to the RoS, unless he did not pay attention to what the RoS raised or does not understand what he answered," he said.

He said the complaints arose because Pas, as leader of PN, had repeatedly breached the PN constitution, abused power, bypassed PN, failed to carry out supreme council decisions, vetoed them, and oppressed Bersatu and denied its rights as a member.

Tun Faisal said RoS was the authority over registered societies, adding that Bersatu had also made its complaints public.

He said Bersatu had repeatedly pointed out breaches of the PN constitution and supreme council decisions by Pas.

Tun Faisal urged Takiyuddin to "stop playing the victim" and answer the issues with facts and law.

"There is no need for spin. Deny Bersatu's complaints one by one, as raised by the RoS to Takiyuddin, with evidence," he said.

He said Takiyuddin should only have to answer a simple question of whether Bersatu's complaints were true.

"If Pas did not breach the PN constitution, simply submit the explanation, meeting minutes, correspondence and relevant documents to deny each allegation. It is not difficult," he said.

On Sept 22, the RoS issued a notice under Section 13(2) of the Societies Act 1966, giving PN 30 days to explain why its registration should not be cancelled. On Sept 23, the RoS issued a follow-up order under Section 13(2A), officially suspending all of PN's activities.

PN filed a judicial review application on Monday at the High Court to quash the two notices.