Mat Sabu thanks critics for advice on new party plan

Former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today thanked the new ulama-led party leadership for their advice regarding his plan to form a new political party with a group of progressive members of the Islamist party. He said he and his colleagues welcomed all reminders and warnings by the party's spiritual leader, president, deputy president, vice-presidents, youth chief and central committee members over their plan to form a new party. In a posting on his Facebook page, Mohamad, who is better known as Mat Sabu, said they appreciated the warnings and reminders. "Any reminder, warning or criticism, my colleagues and I will take them into account and deliberate on them in detail before taking our next step. "I say thank you to everyone, from the spiritual leader to the bottom (grassroot), who have given us reminders on the issue on whether to form a party or to take other steps towards defending Islam, its people and Malaysians in general," he said. Mohamad and a number of pro-Pakatan Rakyat PAS leaders labelled as progressive and liberal, were ousted by the conservative ulama faction in the party election earlier this month. At the party's general assembly, the Islamist party also cut ties with PR ally DAP over their spat on hudud. The fall of PR and the sidelining of progressive leaders in PAS gave rise to an idea that the ousted leaders should form another party. No final decision has been made on the matter by the group dubbed G18, but PAS leaders had gone on an offensive in addressing the matter. On Tuesday, party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said in an open letter to PAS members published on the party's organ Harakahdaily's website that new parties formed by members and leaders who left the party would eventually go under, as the Islamist party's history had shown, and it would be no different this time. Spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din reportedly said today that the progressive leaders breaking from PAS would only benefit the party's rivals and weaken the Islamic movement. He also warned those in G18 that leaving PAS would only spell their own demise. – June 26, 2015.