PAS Pmtg Pauh tantrum unlikely to impact polls
Published: Apr 22, 2015 5:45 PM | Updated: Apr 22, 2015 6:09 PM
PAS Permatang Pauh which had earlier threatened to boycott the coming by-election for the parliamentary constituency is expected to make a U-turn after its divisional meeting tonight.
Division head Omar Hassan has been allegedly warned of action because his decision goes against PAS central leadership's directive for members in the four northern states to help out in the campaign inn Seberang Prai.
Division head Omar Hassan has been allegedly warned of action because his decision goes against PAS central leadership's directive for members in the four northern states to help out in the campaign inn Seberang Prai.
PAS Permatang Pauh which had earlier threatened to boycott the coming by-election for the parliamentary constituency is expected to make a U-turn after its divisional meeting tonight.
Division head Omar Hassan has been allegedly warned of action because his decision goes against PAS central leadership's directive for members in the four northern states to help out in the campaign inn Seberang Prai.
But even if the division boycotts the 12-day campaign period beginning on nomination day this Saturday with polling day on May 7, the move would have little impact on PKR's chances of winning the seat.
PKR Penang chief Mansor Othman however said the party does not wish to be overconfident about winning the seat held since 1982 by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar lost the seat when his family failed to obtain a pardon from the King for his release from prison where he is serving a five-year jail term for sodomy since Feb 10.
"We acknowledge that there are some issues with PAS Permatang Pauh but the impact on the by-election result may not be much," he said after launching PKR's by-election media center at Yayasan Aman, Kubang Semang today.
It is learnt that PAS has only about 3,000 members in Permatang Pauh and despite the recent turmoil over hudud law implementation, most prefer the party to remain in Pakatan Rakyat.
'Good training ground'
Omar shocked Pakatan allies when his division told PKR to apologise for not supporting PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang's recent move to table a private member's bill on hudud law in Parliament.
Hadi's move led to DAP severing ties with him, while the party's youth wing has frozen all ties with PAS Youth. Hadi's ( right ) private member's bill is to pave the way for full hudud law implementation in Kelantan, a move recently passed by the Kelantan assembly.
PAS Permatang Pauh is also unhappy with PKR President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail being slated to be the Pakatan candidate for Permatang Pauh.
Asked if PKR would apologise to PAS to mend ties, Mansor said "… the issue does not arise".
"We will not focus on such issues but how the BN has economically burdened the rakyat's lives by implementing the Goods and Services tax (on April 1)," Mansor said.
Unlike PAS Permatang Pauh, other PAS leaders have agreed to comply with the party's national directive to help PKR win the parliamentary seat to preserve the spirit of Pakatan Rakyat.
Two-term assemblyman for Permatang Pasir and PAS Penang Deputy Commissioner (II) Salleh Man ( left ) said he will be campaigning for PKR in his area, it being a one of the state seats under Permatang Pauh.
Met last night at Pakatan's election meeting in Yayasan Aman, he told Malaysiakini that he has rounded up 170 election workers for the job, adding "… they are eager to help as this would be a good training ground to prepare them for the 14th general election.”
Salleh and PAS Penang Deputy Commissioner (I) Mujahid Yusof Rawa were at the meeting with DAP and PKR leaders to discuss cooperation during the campaign period.
Working together
Representing DAP were MPs Steven Sim (Bukit Mertajam) and Ng Wei Aik ( Tanjung) and Air Itam assemblyman Wong Hon Wai.
PKR was represented by Deputy Chief Minister I and Pantai Jerejal assemblyman Rashid Hasnon and state executive councillors Abdul Malik Kassim (Batu Maung) and Dr. Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya).
"Winning or losing a seat depends more on the supporters we have and not on party members alone," Salleh said, adding he would campaign on the ground using his “personal touch”.
He also expressed hope the differences between Pakatan allies would be ironed out soon.
He urged members not to be influenced by slanderous remarks by their rivals, but instead focus their efforts on strengthening Pakatan.
Sim, who is DAP Permatang Pauh by-election coordinator, said the Pakatan leadership was very much intact despite the schisms between the allies.
"We acknowledge there will be challenges but the PAS factor is not the only one to affect the outcome of the polls," he said.
"But the PAS leadership has given us their commitment to work together, plus a big majority want PAS to stay in Pakatan," he added.
"One or two persons cannot represent the whole grassroots, even in PAS, I'm sure," he noted.
PKR will announce its candidate for the by-election on the night of April 24 at the SP Arena in Seberang Jaya.
Umno for the ruling coalition will declare its candidate a day before at Umno's Transformasi Center, Kubang Semang, at 3pm.
Division head Omar Hassan has been allegedly warned of action because his decision goes against PAS central leadership's directive for members in the four northern states to help out in the campaign inn Seberang Prai.
But even if the division boycotts the 12-day campaign period beginning on nomination day this Saturday with polling day on May 7, the move would have little impact on PKR's chances of winning the seat.
PKR Penang chief Mansor Othman however said the party does not wish to be overconfident about winning the seat held since 1982 by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar lost the seat when his family failed to obtain a pardon from the King for his release from prison where he is serving a five-year jail term for sodomy since Feb 10.
"We acknowledge that there are some issues with PAS Permatang Pauh but the impact on the by-election result may not be much," he said after launching PKR's by-election media center at Yayasan Aman, Kubang Semang today.
It is learnt that PAS has only about 3,000 members in Permatang Pauh and despite the recent turmoil over hudud law implementation, most prefer the party to remain in Pakatan Rakyat.
'Good training ground'
Omar shocked Pakatan allies when his division told PKR to apologise for not supporting PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang's recent move to table a private member's bill on hudud law in Parliament.
Hadi's move led to DAP severing ties with him, while the party's youth wing has frozen all ties with PAS Youth. Hadi's ( right ) private member's bill is to pave the way for full hudud law implementation in Kelantan, a move recently passed by the Kelantan assembly.
PAS Permatang Pauh is also unhappy with PKR President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail being slated to be the Pakatan candidate for Permatang Pauh.
Asked if PKR would apologise to PAS to mend ties, Mansor said "… the issue does not arise".
"We will not focus on such issues but how the BN has economically burdened the rakyat's lives by implementing the Goods and Services tax (on April 1)," Mansor said.
Unlike PAS Permatang Pauh, other PAS leaders have agreed to comply with the party's national directive to help PKR win the parliamentary seat to preserve the spirit of Pakatan Rakyat.
Two-term assemblyman for Permatang Pasir and PAS Penang Deputy Commissioner (II) Salleh Man ( left ) said he will be campaigning for PKR in his area, it being a one of the state seats under Permatang Pauh.
Met last night at Pakatan's election meeting in Yayasan Aman, he told Malaysiakini that he has rounded up 170 election workers for the job, adding "… they are eager to help as this would be a good training ground to prepare them for the 14th general election.”
Salleh and PAS Penang Deputy Commissioner (I) Mujahid Yusof Rawa were at the meeting with DAP and PKR leaders to discuss cooperation during the campaign period.
Working together
Representing DAP were MPs Steven Sim (Bukit Mertajam) and Ng Wei Aik ( Tanjung) and Air Itam assemblyman Wong Hon Wai.
PKR was represented by Deputy Chief Minister I and Pantai Jerejal assemblyman Rashid Hasnon and state executive councillors Abdul Malik Kassim (Batu Maung) and Dr. Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya).
"Winning or losing a seat depends more on the supporters we have and not on party members alone," Salleh said, adding he would campaign on the ground using his “personal touch”.
He also expressed hope the differences between Pakatan allies would be ironed out soon.
He urged members not to be influenced by slanderous remarks by their rivals, but instead focus their efforts on strengthening Pakatan.
Sim, who is DAP Permatang Pauh by-election coordinator, said the Pakatan leadership was very much intact despite the schisms between the allies.
"We acknowledge there will be challenges but the PAS factor is not the only one to affect the outcome of the polls," he said.
"But the PAS leadership has given us their commitment to work together, plus a big majority want PAS to stay in Pakatan," he added.
"One or two persons cannot represent the whole grassroots, even in PAS, I'm sure," he noted.
PKR will announce its candidate for the by-election on the night of April 24 at the SP Arena in Seberang Jaya.
Umno for the ruling coalition will declare its candidate a day before at Umno's Transformasi Center, Kubang Semang, at 3pm.
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