Ousted Perak Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has challenged the three independent assemblyperson to defend their seats without help from Barisan Nasional.

Nizar said he believe all three will lose their seats if they do so, because they won their seats on a DAP or PKR ticket in 2008 and not as individuals.

The three assemblypersons referred to are Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang), Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (Changkat Jering) and Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang) who defected last February, triggering the collapse of the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

"I challenge these 'three frogs' to stand on their own merit in the next state elections and see whether they can win any state seats," Nizar told Malaysiakini at the sidelines of the Perak PAS Youth gathering in Selama yesterday.

Nizar was responding to reports which quoted Jamaluddin saying Barisan Nasional is capable of wresting half of the seats currently held by PAS and PKR.

Talk of the dissolution of the state assembly have been rife since the Federal Court announced the Feb 9 date to decide on a suit which will determine whether Nizar or BN’s Zambry Abdul Kadir is the rightful menteri besar.

Meanwhile, Nizar scoffed at Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir’s reported claim that BN could win up to 34 seats should state elections be called.

He said should Zambry be so confident, he should call for snap polls now and need not wait for the suit to be decided.

"I welcome Zambry’s prediction but I wonder if he can get half of that in the next state election," said Nizar.

Embrace new technology

At the gathering yesterday, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar called on the youths to adopt new technologies and move away from traditional campaigning strategies, such as holding small ceramah at the surau or mosques.

"However, now such youth gatherings have given way to modern communication technology such as mobile phones, the internet, Facebook and Twitter," said Mahfuz.

He said it was pertinent for party members to adopt such new technologies or the party would lose out to BN’s powerful propaganda machinery in efforts to reach young voters.

Another speaker, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub, commended the estimated 10,000 youths for thronging the seven-hour event, held at the PAS Darul Talim centre.

He urged young PAS members to rigorously rope in new members and new voters, noting that Election Commission figures showed that the party was trailing behind Umno in the registration of new voters.

Nizar, in his speech, said Umno was abusing religion for political purposes and urged youths to reach out to the rural folk who have been "brain washed" by their rivals.