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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Islamic opposition party said on Thursday that it has ruled out forming a pact with the ruling party UMNO, a proposal that caused a leadership crisis and undermined the opposition alliance.
The Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) has been beset by infighting after several top figures said they were keen to form a pact with UMNO, which heads the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Last week, PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat called for a special party vote to remove those elements that he described as "problematic".
However, PAS leaders decided at a meeting late Wednesday not to hold the vote after reaching an agreement that no elements in the party would pursue a tie-up with UMNO.
"The talks with UMNO are a closed chapter - officially closed, no more," PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali told AFP.
The decision is a boost for the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance which scored unprecedented gains in elections a year ago but since then has been troubled by ideological differences between its three members.
Mustafa, who was one of the "problematic" leaders named by Nik Abdul Aziz, said that PAS would now hold a seminar to explain the decision to its members.
"We have been very committed to Pakatan Rakyat. We are meeting each other more than once a month and are in the process of registering Pakatan as an official alliance. We are working very well," he said.
As well as the conservative PAS, the alliance takes in the liberal, Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the multiracial Keadilan party led by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Pakatan Rakyat won a third of parliamentary seats and control of three states in 2008 elections, dealing the Barisan Nasional coalition its worst results in the half-century it has governed Malaysia.
But the wide ideological gulf between member parties has resulted in a series of wrangles and rows which threaten to jeopardise its plan to seize power at the next elections due by 2013.
In central Selangor state, which is ruled by Pakatan Rakyat, some PAS leaders have upset their opposition colleagues by urging a ban on alcohol and tightening enforcement of religious rules.
On this issue, Mustafa said the meeting had also decided to investigate state PAS leaders responsible for the moves, for possible disciplinary action.
- AFP/sc
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