PAS seeks way out of crisis

Mon, 18 Nov 1996 | Source: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's fundamentalist Parti Islam (PAS) has offered to form a coalition government in Kelantan state with Premier Mahathir Mohamad's ruling party as the Islamic party comes under pressure there to quit.

Acknowledging that the state is in political crisis, Kelantan chief minister Nik Aziz Nik Mat, said his party was willing if Mahathir's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) was sincere. But the move would be made on PAS' terms, he insisted at the weekend.

"I will be very happy if we can realize this idea through certain ways because the matter is very sensitive," the New Sunday Times quoted Nik Aziz as saying in the northeastern Malaysian state.

Reacting to the offer, Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday that UMNO would respond to the idea "only after detailed discussions."

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