The war of words that began when PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang blasted Bersatu’s lack of ground troops and election machinery seems to be escalating.

Yesterday Bersatu secretary general Azmin Ali sarcastically advised Hadi on the matter during a ceremah in Melaka.

“Sometimes I get offended by people who say that we (Bersatu) do not have an (election) machinery.”

“Open your eyes. Open your ears. Don’t be deaf!

“Who are the people here? These are not elves. These are troops. Is it true or not?” he raged.

Last week, in a press conference in Rusila, Marang, Abdul Hadi claimed that Bersatu demanded a large number of candidates but did not have sufficient machinery to work.

“They have candidates, but their staff is too small compared to the membership that is claimed to be thousands of people.

“In the end, when we go down, the only ones working in the field are PAS members.

“That is the reality that is happening and we are taking all these aspects into account,” said Hadi.

Now, PKR is getting in on the act with its Selangor deputy information chief asking his PAS counterparts to state their stance.

“PKR Selangor would like to ask, what is the stance of the PAS Selangor leadership on the statement?

“Do Dato’ Dr. Halim Tamuri and Dato’ Shafie Ngah agree with Azmin’s statement that is seen to belittle their own beloved party president?”

“Why did they choose to remain silent?” asked PKR’s Khairil Izzat Nordin?

He questioned why they were passive when several PAS leaders elsewhere have already criticised Azmin.

“In politics, differences of opinion can occur but the matter of disrespecting the highest leader should not occur.

“If the PAS Selangor leadership does not agree with the statement then state their stance openly.

“Silence will only create the perception that PAS Selangor is submissive to Bersatu in the state political and has failed to defend the dignity of their own party leadership,” he added.