PAS rally about political gain, not justice for Najib, say analysts

PAS rally about political gain, not justice for Najib, say analysts

PETALING JAYA: Analysts believe that the PAS-organised rally to be held on Jan 6 is not about securing justice for former prime minister Najib Razak, but rather a strategic move to gain political mileage.

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the rally signalled an attempt by PAS to demonstrate support for the former Umno president following criticism of the nationalist party’s failure to effectively manage the addendum issue despite being part of the government.

“They (PAS) know they can’t change the outcome of the case, but they want to show that they are concerned,” he told FMT.

PAS’s rally at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya will be held on the same day that the Court of Appeal hears Najib’s application on a purported supplementary decree placing him under house arrest.

On Bersatu’s side, Wanita chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin last Saturday said that the party would not stand in the way of any of its members who wished to attend the rally.

Bersatu was co-founded by Muhyiddin Yassin after he was sacked as Umno deputy president in 2016. He had been critical of Najib, the then Umno president and prime minister, particularly over the 1MDB scandal.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said the rally could be aimed at securing the support of Umno members for PAS’s coalition, Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“It’s an opportunity for PN to garner support by expressing its sympathy (for Najib),” he said.

Meanwhile, Ariff Aizuddin Azlan of Universiti Teknologi Mara described the rally as a golden opportunity for PAS to “outshine” Umno in championing the issue at hand.

“Umno is somewhat restrained due to its position in the government,” he added.

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Universiti Malaya’s Tawfik Yaakub suggested that critics of Najib from PN could be labelled as “extreme hypocrites” following the rally.

However, Azmir Nizah of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia argued that some might perceive PAS and Bersatu as showcasing maturity and tolerance in politics.

On Friday, it was reported that PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan urged party members to attend the rally and send a “clear signal to the government” about the importance of upholding the rule of law.

Najib claims that the order on house arrest was issued in a supplementary royal command on the Federal Territories Pardons Board’s decision in February to commute his original sentence.

He said the board had omitted to announce the terms of the supplementary order, and that the government was in contempt for not complying with it. He is seeking a court order to compel the government to execute the supplementary decree, if it exists, by placing him under house arrest.