By Shannon Teoh
KUALA KRAI, July 10 — Nasharuddin Mat Isa will campaign alongside PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat despite Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin's continued attempts to drive a wedge between the PAS deputy president and his party's Kelantan support.
Manek Urai election director Abdul Fatah Harun confirmed today that the Bachok MP will have a joint programme with Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz this weekend to dispel talk of a continuing rift between the two caused by the Umno-PAS unity government proposal.
"This is part of our full strategy which may seem unexpected to others. The deputy president may have been shy to come earlier but with two or three days left, he will be here because all parties involved have agreed to a joint programme with the spiritual leader," he said.
Last night, Khairy, who has been a strong proponent of any form of co-operation between the two Malay-based parties, once again invited PAS to join forces with Barisan Nasional (BN).
"We invite PAS to be with Barisan Nasional. PAS has been insulted by DAP and PKR enough," the Rembau MP told hundreds at a ceramah last night.
The move by Khairy, coming so soon before Nasharuddin's visit, appears designed to dampen PAS's hopes to put forward a united front to voters in the Kelantan state seat.
Nasharuddin had been absent on nomination day amid speculation that it would hurt PAS's support due to displeasure over his support for co-operation with Umno which Nik Aziz had strongly opposed.
Based on this, Khairy played up the rivalry between Kelantan executive councillor Datuk Husam Musa and Nasharuddin by blaming the former PAS vice-president's influence on Nik Aziz for derailing unity talks.
"Nasharuddin cannot come because Husam says he cannot come. Even if Nasharuddin comes now, the point is he has been barred from coming early on," he said.
Husam had lost out to Nasharuddin in the struggle for the number two post at the recent PAS general assembly which also saw the unity proposal coming to the fore.
However, PKR election director Saifuddin Nasution believes that Khairy's comments will have no impact on the Pakatan Rakyat alliance.
"I advise Khairy to look for a better political angle as this divide-and-rule strategy is no longer effective," the Machang MP said.
He said that the unity government idea had been rejected outright in a PR presidential council meeting which he had attended.
"So this is an empty threat unless Khairy knows more about our top leadership than I do. In which case, I congratulate him on his excellent political ability to read such implications," he added sarcastically.
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He already have UMNO and Malays who hate him, he now wants the non-malay to hate him so that he can win the support of the malays.
MCA/MIC/Gerakan are people who will try to persuade the non-malay to give support - that is why we must reject ALL UMNO initiatives for the non-malay!!!