PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali said it was unfair for certain media to blame party president Abdul Hadi Awang for the party’s failure to win any seats in Sarawak, as it is the party’s collective responsibility.

NONE The party has managed to make inroads in Sarawak, said Mustafa, comparing 2006 when PAS had contested in one seat to this election where they contested five, almost winning one, namely Beting Maro.

"You cannot compare PAS with other parties as we practise collective responsibility. In fact, the party's showing in Sarawak is better as none of our candidates lost their deposit.

"There was one place we contested, Tanjung Datu, where PKR and an independent had contested in the past and had lost their deposits. But we managed to garner 3,000-over votes. Hence, the acceptance of the Malay/Melanau, Iban and Dayaks in this seat is good.

"In fact, support for PAS and Pakatan Rakyat is strong in Sarawak," he said.

Chong Snr ceramah in kuching He also denied former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claims that PAS had been played out by the DAP in the Sarawak elections.

Mahathir had said PAS should have contested in Kuching to ensure a victory for themselves.

"If Umno contests in Kuching we are willing to contest there. It is not a problem. If Umno puts its candidate in Bukit Bintang (DAP’s stronghold) we will contest there.

"That is not an issue as we work well within Pakatan and would remain in Pakatan," Mustafa said.

Mahathir had written in  his comments on the Sarawak election in his blog that if DAP had been sincere it would have allowed PAS to contest in one of its Kuching seats.

Malay support 'not dwindling '

Mustafa rejected suggestions from opponents that PAS’s recent losing streak in by-elections signalled dwindling Malay support for the party.

NONE "It is not fair to draw that analogy as you have to look at PAS’ performance as a whole. We won in Kuala Terengganu, seizing the stronghold from  he BN,”  he said.

"We won in Bukit Gantang and Manek Urai which we defended. We lost in Galas but that seat has traditionally been a BN seat and we won in 2008 with a low majority.

"We lost in Merlimau, Kerdau, that are traditionally BN seats. It is unfair to say the support of the Malays for PAS is dwindling (due to these losses).

“What I can say though is that the support of the non-Malays for us is rising. This is a healthy sign."

The PAS secretary-general would not be drawn into commenting on if Abdul Hadi is seen as a liability for the Islamist party, when asked about the recent criticisms of his leadership.

Academicians, including constitutional law expert, Abdul Aziz Bari ,had in recent days been vocal critics of Abdul Hadi's leadership,  faulting him for the failed Sept 16, 2008 attempt by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to form a Pakatan federal government.

Mustafa said it is not Abdul Hadi who said the Sept 16 would be a failure but himself.

"It is unfair to blame Hadi on this as this statement was not made by the president but me. I want to be neutral on (the criticism) levelled against the party president," he said.

 Abdul Hadi and Mustafa are seen as working together in PAS, as both hail from Terengganu, and said to have supported the idea of a unity government with Umno.