But frankly, who could ever trust it again: Open Letter to PAS - THINK BEFORE YOU JUMP

By a strange twist of fate, PAS is poised to play a role opposite of what it did in the unconstitutional power grab in Perak in 2009. Then, PAS was the victim; now, it is the potential culprit.

In 2009, PAS Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin was unconstitutionally ousted through an Umno conspiracy with the co-operation of the Palace.

Today, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is attempting to kick ruling coalition Pakatan Rakyat out of the state government with what he alleged as the support of PAS.

If he succeeds, that would mean Selangor will be run by a PAS-Umno coalition.

And that would further mean that PAS would have committed two grand betrayals.

First, it betrays its coalition partners PKR and DAP and the political ideals shared by all the three partners.

Second, it betrays the Selangor electorate who had given Pakatan Rakyat whopping support, giving the latter more than two third majorities in the assembly. That support was intended for the PKR-PAS-DAP coalition, and certainly not meant for PAS-Umno coalition.

A PAS-Umno coalition in Selangor would further mean that the Malaysian political landscape would be reshaped throughout the country as Umno/BN (with PAS as a member or an ally) vs Pakatan (PKR + DAP).

PAS leaders

From PAS’ point of view, as a political party, it will have to consider whether such a reconfiguration will result in the party winning more parliamentary and state seats throughout the nation, and what its position and influence will be in the family of BN.

As for the Malaysian electorate, the question to be asked is: will they ever forgive PAS for these grand betrayals?

PAS Central Committee will meet on Aug 17 to make supposedly its final decision as to where it stands on the current Selangor crisis. Whatever decision it makes, it will be another major landmark of Malaysian politics.

Kim Quek is the author of banned book The March to Putrajaya