PAS elections director Mustafa Ali has dismissed the possibility that loyal party members would withhold votes for PKR during the upcoming Penanti by-election.

"(The party leadership) has agreed that PKR should contest in the seat and we want to ensure that they win. Thus our members in the area are duty bound to vote for PKR," he said.

pakatan pc on spr ban pondok panas 280409 mustafa ali Mustafa was commenting on mounting speculations that PAS grassroots would shun the campaign due to the party's Permatang Pauh division being adamant in contesting the seat.

Previously, Penang PAS Youth chief Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin said that the grassroots felt slighted at PKR for naming Mansor Othman as the candidate without discussing the matter with Pakatan Rakyat coalition partners.

Following this, the Permatang Pauh PAS division had threatened to freeze its election machinery in Penanti.

However, the top PAS leadership ordered Penang PAS to give full support to PKR.

Will observe EC's next move

Meanwhile, PAS research centre head Dzulkifli Ahmad said the party was eager to witness how the Election Commission would enforce the 'no-campaign' rule on polling day.

"We will see this in Penanti for the first time, where the EC wants to ensure that there is no campaign on polling day. We'll see what they mean by that," he said.

bersih protest constitution amendment 071207 dzulkifli ahmad Dzulkifli was part of the Pakatan delegation which met EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof on two occasions earlier this month to discuss election related matters.

Chief among them was EC's intention to limit the number of party supporters during nomination day, banning of pondok panas (party manned voter verification booths) and campaigning on polling day.

Abdul Aziz said the pondok panas was a "centre of tension" and a place for last-minute campaigning in previous elections.

On the number of supporters that would turn up for nomination day tomorrow, Mustafa said the number is expected to be reduced because Barisan Nasional was not taking part in the polls.

"If Umno is not around, it will be very peaceful," he said.

Dzulkifli added that Abdul Aziz had urged all parties not to mobilise their supporters to gather at the nomination centres and PAS would abide by that.