Can Pakatan survive if Anwar goes to jail?

An Umno leader said the possibility of Anwar Ibrahim landing in prison is one of the reasons why DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang paints a bleak picture about Pakatan Rakyat's future.

"If Anwar goes to prison, who will take over as opposition leader?" asked Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

"If Lim takes over, PAS will definitely object since the conflict between the two parties has yet to be resolved.

"And if (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang is picked, DAP will be against it," he told Umno Online.

Anwar is currently awaiting the Federal Court's verdict on his final appeal against his sodomy conviction.

The Umno supreme council member said both PAS and DAP would not agree to PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail replacing her husband since her leadership is weak.

"Furthermore, her statement that there is no communication among Pakatan leaders proves that even she is powerless to do anything, apart from being her husband's puppet," he added.

Earlier this week, Lim expressed concern as to whether Pakatan would survive until the next general election.

Puad said this proved that DAP had lost faith in Anwar, whom he said often makes unilateral decisions without consulting his allies such as the 'Kajang Move' and Selangor menteri besar crisis.

The Umno supreme council member dismissed Pakatan as a "brittle" pact which had existed thus far due to Anwar's "manipulation".

"We can see how difficult it is for them to join hands apart from wanting to topple Umno and BN. Each party is embroiled with internal problems," he said.

Puad predicted that Pakatan would suffer the same fate which befell Barisan Alternatif in 2001, where the opposition pact collapsed after DAP pulled out, citing irreconcilable differences with PAS.

PAS: We're staying in Pakatan

Lim said he doubts if Pakatan can survive the next general election given that the Pakatan leadership council had not met for six months.

Earlier Lim's son and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng criticied PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for his absence at meeting.

Abdul Hadi responded that it is his prerogative whether or not to attend meetings.

PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali also yesterday said that PAS will remain in Pakatan.

"PAS never thought of leaving Pakatan and is instead giving our commitment to ensure that Pakatan's strength," he told PAS organ Harakahdaily.