Mohd Salleh Man believes that he can retain the Permatang Pasir state seat for his party PAS in the by-election on Aug 25.

He said the confidence is based on the PAS strength in the constituency, the party's only stronghold in the state.

NONE He hopes to emulate the success of the former Permatang Pasir state assemblyperson Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman, who had held the seat for three terms up to his death on July 31.

"This constituency is a PAS stronghold and with the support of the opposition (coalition), I believe we are capable of retaining the seat," he said when met after the nomination process at the National Youth Skills Institute in Bukit Mertajam today.

PAS election director Mahfuz Omar said the party may not be able to maintain the majority it obtained in the last general election because it believes the BN will use various tactics and the government machinery to fish for votes.

He said, however, that the revocation of the legal practising certificate of Barisan Nasional candidate Rohaizat Othman has given PAS the edge in proving that its candidate is the more suitable one.

DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the by-election will enable the voters to make a clear and apt decision.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan Rakyat would work hard to ensure victory for the PAS candidate.

The Permatang Pasir by-election will see a straight fight between BN's Rohaizat, who is also the Permatang Pauh Umno division secretary, and Mohd Salleh, the Penang PAS commissioner.

'Umno's Islam not the route to heaven'

NONE In another development, PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat attacked Umno by stating that the party has brought Islamic teachings from Palestine, which is "false Islam".

The Kelantan menteri besar said that Islam as practised by Umno members would not take Muslims to heaven.

"The Islam preached by PAS is different from the Islam practised by Umno members as the latter will not get Muslims anywhere and definitely not to heaven.

"Based on this, I believe the people of Permatang Pasir will vote in the PAS candidate Mohd Salleh Man to represent them," he told reporters today

-Bernama