The decision of the PAS Syura Council endorsing the PAS Muktamar resolution last month for PAS to sever ties with DAP is a non-event, as almost all Malaysians know that Pakatan Rakyat had been killed by the new PAS leadership at the PAS Muktamar more than a month ago on June 3.

I had said at the time that with Pakatan Rakyat dead after the PAS Muktamar resolution, what was left to be done were the funeral rites for Pakatan Rakyat.

I must admit that I had not expected that it would take more than a month for the final funeral rites for Pakatan Rakyat to be completed.

The PAS Syura Council decision is a non-event as it has been completely overshadowed by the latest developments under the new PAS leadership, with the two top PAS leaders emerging as the strongest defenders of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak at a time when Najib’s leadership is being increasingly questioned and challenged even in internal Umno circles because of the Prime Minister’s inability to establish his innocence and integrity in the face of unprecedented scandals like the 1MDB scandal.

Recently, the new top PAS leaders have become the “darlings” of the UMNO media, with the infamous Utusan Malaysia becoming spokesmen on their behalf.

Today’s Mingguan Malaysia, for instance, came out with the far-fetched theory of a conspiracy to topple the Barisan Nasional government by the opposition and the foreign media, and attributing to this conspiracy theory the reason why Hadi’s PAS had declared it is unable to work with DAP.

Claiming that “Hadi divorced DAP to save Najib”, the UMNO mouthpiece praised Hadi for defending Najib as the Prime Minister was “a victim of conspiracy”.

It is for Hadi to comment on the latest developments in PAS and UMNO’s defence of his leadership.

There is no doubt however that Pakatan Rakyat would not have died if former PAS spiritual leader, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat have not passed away as he was the bulkwark against the “unity government” machinations of the UMNO plotters and conspirators.

Although Pakatan Rakyat is no more after seven years inspiring and rallying the hopes and aspirations of Malaysians for political change, these hopes and aspirations for an united, better and new Malaysia must not be allowed to die, but must continue to be centrepiece of the political struggle of Malaysians in the run-up to the next 14th General Election probably in the next 24 months.
Although the new PAS leadership under Hadi have reneged on the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Common Policy Framework (CPF), DAP will continue to work with like-minded political parties and political forces in the country to achieve the hopes and aspirations espoused by the PR CPF.

Pakatan Rakyat may be dead, but the hopes and aspirations inspired by Pakatan Rakyat must live on and must be the challenge of all patriotic Malaysians to see their achievement in the 14th General Election.

(Speech to Johore DAP State leaders on the post-PR scenario and the future of Malaysia in Batu Pahat on Sunday, 12th July 2015 at 5pm)