PETALING JAYA: Amid the ongoing spat between PAS and Gerakan, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (pic) has offered to be a mediator between the two Perikatan Nasional component parties.
Wan Ahmad said Perikatan needs Gerakan because the Bersatu-led coalition represents a multi-racial bloc.
"As the Bersatu Youth chief, I will help my leaders to bridge the gap between Gerakan and PAS. We need Gerakan.
"We cannot lose Gerakan because we represent a multi-racial coalition. We are not a far-right Malay, xenophobic, Islamist or extremist coalition. We are meant for everyone. I think PAS can agree with me on this," he said to reporters outside Parliament on Tuesday (July 30).
Describing it as a "sibling feud", Wan Ahmad said disagreements are normal between parties within a coalition.
"So, we should manage this matter through internal meetings," he added.
Wan Ahmad said Bersatu has a mediator role to play as the disagreementbetween Bersatu and Gerakan probably arose due to misunderstandings over statements reported in the media.
"I hope we can reduce the temperature outside and let's focus on the people's issues," he said.
Wan Ahmad said he agreed with PAS and opposed the promotion of alcoholic beverages in schools.
"We are not against vernacular schools. I think they have the right to raise funds but you cannot blatantly promote alcoholism in schools," he said.
The spat between Gerakan and PAS arose when Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong said the party would not hesitate to leave the coalition if it continued to take an extremist stand and infringe upon the rights of non-Muslims.
The controversy between both parties came after PAS criticised a deputy minister for accepting a RM3mil mock cheque bearing a brewery company's logo at a fundraising event.
PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the party might not be able to work with Gerakan during the next general election if the party maintained its stand on the fundraising issue.
