PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said in his speech at the opening of the 58th PAS Muktamar this morning that PAS is prepared to take federal power with its Pakatan Rakyat allies.

Malaysians are at the crossroads in the 13th General Elections, to decide whether the country should have a new beginning by electing a new Pakatan Rakyat federal government in Putrajaya or whether the corruption, abuses of power, injustices and inequalities of the Umno/Barisan Nasional Government should continue to blight the future, hopes and aspirations of the people.

There are two pre-conditions if Pakatan Rakyat is to beat UMNO/Barisan Nasional in the battle for Putrajaya in the 13 General Elections.

The Pakatan Rakyat coalition of PAS, PKR and DAP must be able to show and convince Malaysians of two important differences with the Umno/Barisan Nasional coalition.

Firstly, that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition practices the politics of “Unite and Rule” as distinct from the traditional but divisive and destructive politics of “Divide and Rule” of UMNO/BN, polarizing instead of uniting Malaysians along racial and religious lines.

Through the politics of lies, falsehoods and fear, UMNO/Barisan Nasional spread different and conflicting messages among different racial and religious groups, sowing the seeds of suspicion, distrust and even hatred, which is totally against the task of Malaysian nation-building.

Among the Malays, UMNO spread the lies and falsehoods that if Pakatan Rakyat wins in the 13GE, the DAP will be the real “power” in Putrajaya, that Malay rights would be sacrificed with Malays becoming “beggars in the own land”, Islam marginalized and the country become a Christian Malaysia, the system of Malay Rulers abolished and Malaysia will become a republic. In other words, that the DAP would renege and betray the pledges made in the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Programme and Buku Jingga.

Among the Chinese, MCA is allowed to spread fear with the lies and falsehoods that PAS will be the real “power” if Pakatan Rakyat wins resulting in the sacrifice of the political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious rights of the non-Malays and non-Muslims. Underlying these lies and falsehoods is the message that PAS would renege and betray the pledges made in the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Programme and Buku Jingga.

This is a most irresponsible and reckless politicking, completely heedless of the harm of such “divide and rule” tactics to the Malaysian nation-building process.

In contrast, the Pakatan Rakyat parties of PAS, PKR and DAP seek to unite Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, with the common vision and objective – to restore justice, freedom, democracy and good governance in the country.

Also unlike Barisan Nasional under UMNO hegemony, Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of equals which operates on the basis of consensus. There is no hegemony by any single party in Pakatan Rakyat.

Secondly, we must convince Malaysians that another great difference with UMNO/BN is that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition practises the politics of sincerity, honesty and trust, where our word is our bond, and that none of the three parties in Pakatan Rakyat, whether PAS, PKR or DAP, would renege or betray the pledges and commitments we have made in the PR, whether in the Common Policy Programme or Buku Jingga.

I call on all leaders, members and supporters of Pakatan Rakyat, whether PAS, PKR or DAP, to commit themselves to give full support to the cause of effecting change in the 13GE as this is the only way to end the corruption, abuses of power, injustices and inequalities rampant under UMNO/BN rule.

(Speech at the Pakatan Rakyat Himpunan Kebangkitan Rally at Stadium Mohammad IV Stadium, Kota Baru on Friday, 16th November 2012 at 10 pm)