PAS leader: We're no longer 'lebai' party, favourite among Muslims

PAS is now a favourite among technocrats and professionals and no longer a party of the “lebai” (religious types), said party spiritual leader Hashim Jasin.

He said this was proven when PAS managed to field candidates who were professionals in the previous polls instead of relying on religious figures alone.

“We see PAS progressing and we look at Kedah, for example, we have candidates and elected representatives who are lawyers, academics, doctors, and others. They are now using PAS as their political platform.

“In the past, it was hard to get any doctors to join us, but now we have many of them.

“PAS has also become the backbone party for the Malays and Muslims who were previously dependent on Umno, which led to us winning 43 MP seats in the previous general election, the highest number since the party’s inception 72 years ago,” Utusan Malaysia reported him as saying.

Currently, PAS runs the state governments of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis.

PAS is currently the largest party in the Dewan Rakyat with 43 MPs, followed by DAP (40), PKR (31), Umno (26), Bersatu (25), and PBB (14), among others.

In February this year, Free Malaysia Today reported sources as saying that ties between PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin became frosty following the latter’s decision to defend his party post.

The source said Muhyiddin’s defence of his party presidency, despite earlier saying otherwise, scuttled PAS’ plans to push its vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as the opposition’s prime minister candidate in the next general election.

Samsuri currently serves as the Terengganu menteri besar and was previously working as an aerospace engineer.

‘Green Wave’

On that note, Hashim expressed confidence that the “Green Wave” momentum would continue until the 16th general election.

“And we see PAS’ potential in winning Perak, Selangor, and Pahang in the next polls,” he said.

However, Hashim cautioned leaders in PAS-administered states not to be complacent and do their best for the people.

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