Mat Sabu distancing self from Hadi’s challenger?
Although both campaign on the platform of strengthening Pakatan Rakyat, it is difficult to say that PAS deputy president candidate Mohamad Sabu and presidential candidate Ahmad Awang are running mates.
For starters, the two have never shared the same stage to lay out their mission and vision to contest the party polls in Kuala Selangor next week.
Although both campaign on the platform of strengthening Pakatan Rakyat, it is difficult to say that PAS deputy president candidate Mohamad Sabu and presidential candidate Ahmad Awang are running mates.
For starters, the two have never shared the same stage to lay out their mission and vision to contest the party polls in Kuala Selangor next week.
In fact, in this last round of campaigning the usually aggressive Mohamad is seen trying to distance himself from the perception that he is team mates with Ahmad, who is challenging incumbent Abdul Hadi Awang in PAS’ first contest for the presidency in its six decade history.
Undoubtedly, many delegates prefer to lump the two on the same ticket to enable them to decide via block voting.
Some even advocate block voting, having little trust in delegates to evaluate each candidate based on their individual's performance and contributions to the party.
But those who are still on the fence and open to the sentiments game are less keen to vote along factional lines, making Mohamad’s solo game an attractive strategy.
“Sometimes there is a need to appear that you are not part of a team, because the margin of on-the-fence delegates differ for each position contested.
“This is especially for the vice president and central committee member races where more than one position is up for grabs, and it is not a straight fight,” a party source said.
No clear lines
Party insiders also note that delegates’ sentiments differ among areas. In some areas, delegates may support Ahmad for president but not Mohamad for deputy.
“This shows that Ahmad’s supporters are a different set of delegates to Mat Sabu supporters, and so Mat Sabu would lose out if he pairs himself with Ahmad,” a source said.
Mohamad, the incumbent deputy president, is largely known as Mat Sabu in political circles.
There are also delegates who told Malaysiakini they will vote to retain a Hadi-Mohamad combo for the top two post.
“(Mohamad) doesn’t want to be linked to Ahmad. (He just wants) delegates to look at his own performance, contributions and allegiance to the PAS struggle,” another party insider said.
In fact, Mohamad too lately seems to be echoing Hadi, including in voicing support for Hadi’s Private Member’s Bill to pave the way for hudud and for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to remain PM.
Indeed, he is doing double time to win support from states that are in the grips of Hadi backers - Terengganu, Federal Territories and Penang - before D-Day on June 4.
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