PAS reflects on reasons for loss of Pendang to BN
PAS did not ensure that its supporters returned to the state to vote on polling day last Thursday this was one of the "biggest" mistakes which contributed to the party's loss in Pendang, a senior party leader said.
According to PAS information secretary Mustapha Long, many supporters who worked or resided in other states were unable to obtain leave to carry out their constitutional duty in Pendang.
"We checked with many households (in Pendang) and parents told us that their children did not come back to vote," he told malaysiakini when contacted in Alor Star today.
"Had they returned, we would definitely have won the seat no matter what Umno did."
On July 18, Barisan Nasional veteran Othman Abdul dealt a crushing blow to PAS by garnering 22,825 votes, defeating PAS' Dr Mohd Hayati Osman who polled 22,542 votes. There were 346 spoilt votes with an unusually high turnout of 86.07 percent.
Although it only lost Pendang with a slim 283-vote, the defeat was a bitter disappointment for PAS. Its late president Fadzil Noor was the incumbent.
Pendang had also given Fadzil his debut as a member of Parliament and to top it all, winning the same seat in 1999 had enabled Fadzil to become the Opposition leader.
Mustapha said it was unfair for BN to claim that Fadzil did not bring development to the people of Pendang when he held the seat for only two short years.
Pendang was under the BN for four terms until Fadzil's victory in 1999.
No funds for development
"There was also no development in Pendang under the BN," Mustapha countered.
The PAS leader explained that opposition MPs do not have funds to develop their constituencies.
"Opposition MPs do not enjoy the RM500,000 allocated to BN MPs for development purposes in their constituencies," he said.
On the number of PAS members defecting to Umno during the eight-day campaign period which started on July 10, Mustapha said it was a "publicity stunt".
"Actually only three or four people defected to Umno. The others were already Umno members," he said.
Mustapha also expressed confidence that PAS would capture Kedah, which is Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's home state in the coming general election, scheduled for 2004 or earlier.
"In a general election, BN is unable to concentrate all its resources in one area like they are able to do in a by-election. With the BN onslaught against us in Pendang and Anak Bukit, we still managed to win Anak Bukit. We believe we can maintain our seats and win more in the coming general election," he added.
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