The Gua Musang Umno Wanita and Youth wings today hit out at PAS for suggesting Umno not to contest in the Galas state seat by-election "for the sake of Malay unity", calling it a cowardly move.

The leaders of the two wings said the proposal by PAS deputy secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan showed that the party was scared of defeat.

The division's Wanita chief Wan Hazani Mohd Nor said the suggestion was not practical at all because "win or lose is part of any contest".

"Umno had won and lost the seat before but we accepted the defeat. PAS too had lost the seat, in 2004.

"The statement came from a coward and let me state here that Umno and Barisan Nasional are not at all afraid of losing in contesting the seat in the by-election," she told Bernama today.

Yesterday, besides making the suggestion, Takiyuddin also said that Umno should prove its sincerity in uniting the Malays by not contesting the Galas seat.

 

PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat also agreed with Takiyuddin and even suggested that all the Malays unite under PAS.

Wan Hazani said Umno had the confidence of wresting the seat back from PAS based on the constituents' support for BN at the moment.

 

Division Youth head Bazlan Baharuddin said Umno had many capable candidates to choose from for the Galas seat.

"I believe that statement came from Takiyuddin because PAS does not have the kind of candidate that Umno has, and we are ready to slog it out in Galas," he said.

A by-election will be held for the Galas seat following the death of its incumbent assemblyman Che Hashim Sulaima, 46, from PAS on Monday from colon cancer.

In the 2008 general election, Che Hashim defeated Mohamad Saufi Deraman from BN by a 646-vote majority.

- Bernama