Saari spoke to a largely Chinese audience at a DAP dinner in Sungai Buloh last night to apologise on behalf of PAS for dragging out the Selangor Menteri Besar impasse because of its flip-flop decisions.
"I know that some of you are still angry with PAS. So, I apologise on behalf of PAS for being late in making decisions when it came to the Selangor Menteri Besar," Saari said.
The Hulu Klang assemblyman is deemed a hero by Pakatan Rakyat parties DAP and PKR for pitching in with the two parties to oust Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim against the wishes of some of his elders in PAS.
During the Islamist party's assembly in September, Saari and Morib assemblyman Hasnul Baharuddin were repeatedly slammed by some members and leaders for being stooges to PKR and DAP.
Yet, Saari's huge popularity among the non-PAS crowd was evident when he was cheered throughout his speech.
He was also praised by DAP leaders at the dinner, who generously commended him for sticking with the 28 PKR and DAP Selangor assemblymen to oust Khalid and back PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the Selangor Menteri Besar post.
DAP vice-president Teresa Kok presented him with a bamboo plant as a token of appreciation for his decision to support the party and PKR even in the face of hostile pressure from PAS.
"In Chinese tradition, the bamboo symbolises gentlemanliness and also integrity. No matter how much the pressure, the bamboo will bend but it will not break," said Kok before giving Saari the plant during the dinner as the crowd applauded.
Saari and Hasnul face possible expulsion from PAS as their support for DAP and PKR was made before the party stated its official stand on whether it would back Khalid's sacking.
But when the PAS central committee eventually did decide to support Khalid's ouster as menteri besar, the decision was over-ridden a few days later by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and the party's influential council of elder Muslim scholars, the Syura.
The split in PAS prolonged the menteri besar crisis as PR could not forge a consensus on who should take over from Khalid.
Analysts and PR leaders have argued that PAS's actions had not gone down well among Selangor voters, who are considered the most politically aware and well-read in the country.
They believe that had the crisis resulted in state elections, PAS would have lost the most number of seats due to negative public sentiment.
A DAP leader who was at the dinner conceded this, saying that the event was also a chance to show voters angry with PAS that not all of the Islamist party's leaders were the same.
"The Chinese recognise Saari, he is a huge celebrity for them. We wanted to show them that he is also a PAS leader."
For his part, Saari said that he stood by his decision no matter what his colleagues in PAS thought of him.
"They can say whatever they want of me, insult me but I was willing to do what I did for the rakyat. I do not want to break away from PAS. I am still a PAS member."
The former Internal Security Act detainee also revealed that he had already explained himself to his party's bosses and would leave it to them to decide how they wanted to deal with him.
"But in the end, I hope that PR rises up again and that PAS joins together with DAP and PKR to take over the country from Barisan Nasional." – TMI
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