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PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan is to be fielded in the parliamentary constituency of Temerloh, where his rival could well be Umno’s Saifuddin Abdullah.

azlan PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang made the announcement at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

Saifuddin, widely seen as a progressive within Umno, had said he would personally like to defend his Temerloh seat but would leave it to the Umno leadership to decide.

Abdul Hadi also announced that PAS Youth law and human rights bureau chief Ahmad Zamri As'ad Khazaimi will be tasked with defending the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat.

The seat has remained vacant since the incumbent, Dr Lo' Lo' Mohd Ghazali, passed away in 2011. No by-election was called because the three-year cut-off period from the last general election had passed.

Abdul Hadi said Baling MP Taib Azamuddin Taib will not defend the seat as he has health problems. Instead, former PAS vice-president Nakhaie Ahmad’s brother, Brig-Gen (Rtd) Najmi Ahmad, will be fielded.

"Najmi is an eminent figure and a son of Baling , Kedah. So we baling (throw) him there," Hadi said in jest.

NONE When contacted, Saifuddin (left) who is also deputy higher education minister, said he promises a clean campaign against Nasrudin should Umno field him.

"A few hours after learning of the announcement, I texted Nasrudin, I congratulated him on being chosen to stand in Temerloh and said ‘Welcome to Temerloh’.

"I told him that ... should I contest there, I will carry out a healthy campaign like I did against PKR's Ahmad Nizam Hamid in 2008.”

‘PKR has worked hard’

Saifuddin said it is a surprise to him that PAS is to take over the seat, as he is aware that PKR has worked hard in the constituency since 2008.

"Whether or not the people in Temerloh will accept a PAS MP remains to be seen but BN MPs have had a very good track record. So it is going to be BN's proven works versus PAS' promises," he said.

He added that BN's machinery is ready and its volunteers are in high spirits and will support whoever that is fielded by Umno.

Abdul Hadi told the press conference that PAS will contest 76 parliamentary seats in the coming general election, an increase of 10 seats compared to the last general election in 2008.

Secretary-general Mustafa Ali, who was also present, said PAS will contest 237 state assembly seats nationwide, about two to three fewer than in the previous outing.

PAS also announced the admission of former Saudi Arabia and Iran ambassador Adnan Othman into the party.