MUKTAMAR PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has welcomed the new party line-up consisting of the central committee which he claims to be a right mix of ulama, professionals and activists.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of the party's 59th muktamar, Abdul Hadi said there wee nine ulama within the central committee. "However, what is important is not the name of the ulama but the role that they will play in the party. The others comprise of doctors, engineers and activists."

Striking at its rivals Umno, Abdul Hadi said the nationalist party only had religious scholars or ulama but they were not given any roles in the party.

pas youth protest against egypt coup mohamad mat sabu "It is not meaningful if there is a lot of ulama but they have no roles to play," he said, adding that what was important was combining the various groups so as to push the party forward in the right path of Islam.

The party elections saw Abdul Hadi retained as president uncontested while Mohamad Sabu ( right ) described as an activist, retained the No 2 post, winning against Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.

Of the three vice-president posts, incumbents Salahuddin Ayub and Husam Musa, took two, while former PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, an ulama, joined them deposing Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar.

Throughout his closing speech Abdul Hadi emphasised the need for party members to work together and help capture Putrajaya.

Karpal has right to object

To questions from the sideline that DAP chairperson Karpal Singh has objected to the implementation of hudud in Kelantan, Abdul Hadi replied PAS respects his objection but the party has the right to implement it.

NONE "There is no agreement within Pakatan over this. We respect each other's different views or ideology but our grounds of communication are on common grounds only," he said.

In his speech, Abdul Hadi stressed that Umno, despite being Muslims, had resisted the implementation of hudud the most.

He said they have held dialogues in the 1990's over hudud where the DAP, the church, the Buddhist group came but Umno did not.

"We can understand DAP's objections but they have not resisted unlike Umno," he pointed out.

To queries of Johor implementing Friday as a holiday replacing Sunday, the PAS president said that is within the rights of the state ruler and state government.

He pointed out that in Asia, Friday is considered a big day and it was when the colonials came that resulted in a change.

"The various societies here are not from England and we are not like the Jews where Saturday is considered a big day. I do not think there is any problem with its implementation," he said.

Besides Johor which will implement it beginning Jan 1 next year, other states that have holidays on Friday and not Sunday are Kedah, Kelantan.

NONE On suggestions to amend the party constitution to have more members to vote for the party leadership as proposed by party vice-president Salahuddin Ayub ( right ), the PAS president said it would be studied by the party's syura and political committee.

To criticisms that PAS is seen as a lackey to PKR and DAP, Abdul Hadi brushed it aside saying this is only speculation by the media.

"The fact is we have control in Kelantan and in Selangor, PAS have obtained four exco positions. In Penang, despite winning one seat, our representative is given a role," he said.

He also said that the party will also look into ways of strengthening the party in Sabah and Sarawak which has now become a BN bastion.