Ten irascible reasons why PAS wants DAP to leave Pakatan Harapan: Hadi-Led PAS gains the most — Phar Kim Beng

August 14 — If the DAP delegates choose to leave the government or weaken their ties with Pakatan Harapan (PH), PAS, led by Abdul Hadi Awang, would be the greatest strategic beneficiary. This is because PAS has built much of its current political mobilisation around DAP as a convenient opponent. However, the departure would give PAS an enormous political opportunity. Here are ten reasons why:

1. DAP will likely remain a target for PAS criticism, be it in government or not, as PAS has consistently used DAP as a focal point for its attacks on the coalition architecture.

2. The decision to withdraw from government could expose internal tensions within DAP, allowing PAS to frame the party as divided and unable to decide on its path.

3. PAS could turn an internal disagreement within DAP into evidence of its own political effectiveness, portraying sustained pressure as the reason for DAP's fracture.

4. PAS could leverage this perceived victory by presenting its argument directly to Umno, MCA, and MIC, which may have reservations about DAP's role in the coalition.

5. This could strengthen PAS's position within PN itself, as PAS would be seen as the party that forced a significant change in federal politics, potentially diminishing Bersatu's bargaining power.

6. PAS aligns with Abdul Hadi Awang's strategy of maximising political leverage, which would be further enhanced by DAP's withdrawal from government.

7. PAS could subsequently reduce its demands from 16 seats to 14, portraying the concession as a sign of moderation, and claim flexibility towards Umno and BN.

8. PAS could maintain its attacks on DAP while becoming less intense when the opposition party is outside government, positioning itself as comfortable with Malaysia's multiracial character but still centred on its interpretation of Malay-Muslim governance.

9. DAP's departure could intensify pressure on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as PAS could use the perceived victory to strengthen its bargaining position with BN.