A PAS leader today rebutted party conservatives’ stand that the PAS president cannot be challenged.

Central committee member Khalid Abdul Samad stated that the president or any top party leaders can be replaced if they do not perform.

"If performance is unsatisfactory, then the PAS central committee, including the president, can and should be changed through the electoral process in the muktamar," he said.

PAS' conservatives, primarily consisting of the ulama (religious scholars) group, have insisted on following the party’s tradition.

They said the PAS president has never been challenged since the party adopted ulama leadership in 1982.

The group has also insisted that the president can only be an ulama.

Top leaders need multiple skills

However, Khalid begged to differ, stating that this criterion is only necessary for membership of the syura council which interprets Islamic law.

Instead, he said the focus of central committee, including the president, is on the party's management and therefore, its members must be equipped with various skills.

Most important, he said, is the capacity to lead the party into the general election.

"Those who comprise the central committee, including the president down to ordinary members, must be capable of leading the party into a political ‘war’ every five years.

"Their capability to manage, plan, administer, read political situations, and lead, are criteria that are normally emphasised," he said.

Khalid also stressed on the need for separation of powers in the party.

He said the focus of the central committee rests on administration while the syura council looks into the Islamic law aspect of the party's administration.

The PAS central committee has clashed with president Abdul Hadi Awang who, backed by the syura council, had repeatedly overruled the body,

The syura council has claimed it is the highest decision-making body in the party but Khalid argued its highest authority is only confined to interpreting Islamic law.