T'ganu MB refutes Dr M, says PAS support 'misinterpreted'

SEMENYIH POLLS | Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has refuted Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's claim that PAS will not support Umno in the upcoming Semenyih by-election.

"For now we hold on to what has been said, that PAS will be involved with the by-election machinery together with Umno.

"(There have been) no instructions (to withdraw support), and no new decisions," he was quoted as saying by PAS news organ Harakahdaily.

Earlier today, Mahathir insisted that he was told by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang that his party would not back Umno in Semenyih because it was not up against DAP.

The Harapan chairperson first made the claim at a press conference yesterday, and reiterated that Hadi, along with Samsuri and PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, had said the same in a meeting on Friday.

Read more: 'The truth': Dr M maintains Hadi said PAS won't back Umno at Semenyih

'Psywar tactics'

Samsuri further claimed that Mahathir's statement was part of a larger "psywar" being waged ahead of the March 2 by-election.

Mahathir also said today that he possesses an agreement letter signed by Takiyuddin that PAS would not back Umno.

According to Samsuri, however, the letter has been misinterpreted.

"It has nothing to do with Semenyih. 

"It is just like before, when we supported the prime minister's views against (the ratification of) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination," he said, adding that PAS' support of Mahathir is only in terms of strengthening the Malay-Muslim agenda.

"That is the guarantee we gave to Mahathir. If (he) understood it differently, Allahu a’lam (only God knows).

"To us our guarantee is clear... PAS is behind the prime minister to strengthen the Malay-Muslim agenda."