Will Mat Sabu retain his no 2 post?

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KUALA LUMPUR: Apart from the race for the top post in the PAS elections next month, the contest for the deputy president’s post is also set to grab the attention of party members and political observers.

While the contest for the president’s post will witness a duel between incumbent Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and former Perak PAS Commissioner Ahmad Awang, an equally exciting fight is also shaping up for the No 2 position as
incumbent Mohamad Sabu, more popularly known as Mat Sabu, braces himself to take on Vice-President Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

The elections will take place during the party’s annual congress or muktamar, scheduled to be held from June 4 to 6 in Kuala Selangor, Selangor.

Kelantan PAS Deputy Commissioner 1 Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah and Vice-President Datuk Husam Musa were earlier nominated to contest the No 2 post but both of them have turned down the nominations and have confirmed their
candidacy for the vice-president’s post.

Husam, who was also nominated for the president’s post, announced on Monday that he would not be contesting the top two party posts while Mohd Amar made his decision known yesterday.

Political analysts are viewing the contest for the No 2 post as a sign of protest from the grassroots against Mat Sabu who, apparently, had failed to be on the same wavelength with Abdul Hadi where several issues were concerned,
including the appointment of the Selangor Menteri Besar.

WHO STANDS A BETTER CHANCE?

Last Friday, Tuan Ibrahim confirmed that he would contest the deputy president’s post in the upcoming party elections, the second leader to do so after Mat Sabu.

Who is likely to be elected to the party’s second most important post – will it be Tuan Ibrahim or will Mat Sabu be retained?

Che Hamdan Che Mohd Razali, who is a political science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Dungun, Terengganu, reserved his vote for Tuan Ibrahim who, he said, appeared to have a good chance of winning the post.

“Tuan Ibrahim is seen as a more suitable person to work alongside Abdul Hadi. He (Tuan Ibrahim) is more calm and judicious when stating his views on any issue,” he told Bernama.

However, it will be up to the delegates to decide who they want to elect as an able deputy to the party president – someone who can help to chart the party’s directions and prepare it for the 14th General Election.

GRASSROOTS WANT TO SEE CHANGES

Meanwhile, Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussain, a lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s School of Social Sciences, said the fairly large number of candidates vying for the deputy president and vice-president’s posts was a clear indication from the grassroots that they wanted to see some change in the party’s directions.

“I can see that PAS is currently at the crossroads and I feel the reason several candidates are vying for the top party posts is because they want to see changes in the party, in terms of the leadership as well as its directions.

“Hence, Abdul Hadi has to be wise enough to read into these signals,” he said.

Ahmad Atory added that having several contestants entering the fray also implied that the party was all out to look for leaders who were on the same wavelength with the president.

Initially, 12 candidates were nominated for the three vice-president’s posts but only six of them have confirmed their candidacy.

Besides incumbents Husam and Salahuddin Ayub, the others eyeing the post are Mohd Amar, Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Idris Ahmad and Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad.

APPROPRIATE ARENA FOR PAS TO BOOST SUPPORT FOR HUDUD IMPLEMENTATION

Will the winners of the forthcoming elections be able to boost the party’s determination to implement hudud in Kelantan?

Che Hamdan said whether or not the party’s new line-up of leaders would become more zealous about hudud would depend on the list of issues that would come up for debate at the muktamar.

“The issues that will come up for debate will reveal the true nature of PAS’ struggles, including its stand on its political cooperation with its Pakatan Rakyat allies,” he said.

Ahmad Atory believed that this time around, the congress would focus on the party’s direction where hudud was concerned, as well as its position in the opposition coalition.

Meanwhile, a total of 54 candidates have confirmed that they would be joining the contest for the party’s 24 Central Working Committee posts.

A total of 1,057 delegates are scheduled to attend the PAS muktamar next month.-Bernama