PAS will lose badly in the coming general election and will be heading backwards if it continues with the current leadership, warned the party's aspiring president, Ahmad Awang ( photo ).

 

The former vice-president emphasised the importance of the coming muktamar (party conference) next month as the leaders elected then will decide the party's future.

 

“If the delegates (at the coming muktamar ) continue to shun those leaning to Pakatan Rakyat, I believe PAS will not go forward. PAS would be head backwards or would remain at its present level."

He said this is because there will be many things which cannot be implemented come the 14th general election, due by 2018.

 

“If this is the situation, I do not envisage PAS winning in the coming general elections. If we are not careful, Kelantan will also fall,” he warned in an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini .

 

Kelantan has been ruled by PAS since 1990 under the able stewardship of its late spiritual advisor, Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat ( photo ), who was seen by many as pro-Pakatan Rakyat and against Umno and BN.

 

Nik Abdul Aziz, who was Kelantan menteri besar for 23 years, died in February.

 

Ahmad faces a one-on-one fight with incumbent president, Abdul Hadi Awang, in the party elections next month in Kuala Selangor.

'PAS won't leave Pakatan'

 

To questions on how he sees Hadi leading the party compared to his predecessor, the late Fadzil Noor, Ahmad said Ustaz Fadzil did not limit the party only to ulama or those with religious backgrounds but also successfully opened up the party to professionals.

 

This continued on for a decade, he said with the formation of Barisan Alternatif and with Pakatan in 2008.

 

“However, lately, PAS despite maintaining its stand with Pakatan, is now seen as going backwards in attracting only Malays and focusing on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia only,” he reflected.

 

Despite the differences between PAS and DAP now, Ahmad does not think that PAS would leave Pakatan should he lose.

 

“It's possible there will be efforts to rebuild ties with Pakatan. It may take time. But if the No 1 (Hadi) [ photo ] cannot be with the others, then there would be a problem.

 

“If I get 40 to 45 percent of the votes it will give a stern reminder to the president to improve. It could be a wake-up call (that there are strong feelings against him).”

 

Questioned if he is prepared to debate with Hadi, Ahmad said the problem is that the Harakah Bazaar (owned by the party's mouthpiece Harakah ) in Kuala Lumpur cannot be used by aspiring candidates to state their stands.

 

“I will continue to try (to debate). But if they do not allow it as the venue, then never mind,” he said.

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