PETALING JAYA: Parti Amanah Negara’s dependence on DAP for political and financial support could be a mistake, says Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker (pic).

Amanah, the MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chairman said, comprised leaders that Malaysians would be most comfortable with.

He said that Amanah leaders are mostly intellectuals and professionals who are seen to be “more rational than emotional” in their engagement for support.

“Ironically in politics, the best does not always win. They lost to their conservatives in their internal fight with the clerics in PAS, and now they are not seeing much light if their dependency of votes is on DAP.

“Even PKR’s strongman (Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali) merely appeared at the eleventh hour to grace the (by-election) contest (in Sungai Besar).

“This perception of dependency is a ‘political taboo’ amongst the Malays that even a strong party like PAS and a strong personality like (former Opposition leader) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cannot stomach.

“What more a breakaway party from PAS whose political credibility is yet to be established. Furthermore if their president is seen to be beholden to the DAP or the Penang government?” said Ti in a statement on Monday.

He also pointed out that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad’s move to campaign against Barisan Nasional in the twin by-elections in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar showed that he had “become a past.”

“His political games of which he has always emerged the victor are now coming to an end,” Ti said.

He also said that PAS’ insistence on pushing its brand of hudud would not sit well with Muslim moderates and the non-Muslim electorate, adding it would only take the party to the “backwaters of politics”.

Ti said the achievements made by PAS must in actuality be credited to the leaders in Amanah as they are more urban, modern and multi-racial in their approach.

PAS, said Ti, is now sidelined by Muslim moderates and non-Muslim voters for being orthodox and solely led by “clerics who are non-scientific, non-intellectual and whose real concerns were more about assuming power and rule in the name of Islam by divine authority”.

“Intellectualism even among fellow leaders who are now in Amanah are not welcomed by these clerics and non-conformists are often ostracised,” he said.

-THE STAR-