Muhtar (fourth left) and some other PAS officials pose with some of the residents in front of their longhouse along the Jepak-Kuala Tatau coastal road.
KUCHING: Some 200 residents of a longhouse along the Jepak-Kuala Tatau coastal road near Bintulu will soon have a solar system to provide electricity built by Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS) Centre for Economic, Property and Entrepreneur Development (Lehpu).
In welcoming the initiative, PAS Bintulu deputy youth chief Arifin Rosli said it would definitely change the life of the longhouse residents, and emphasised that PAS in Bintulu was different from other PAS branches in Sarawak.
“Here in Bintulu we have the strength of non-Muslim support through PAS Supporters Assembly (DHPP), and even PAS Bintulu is committed to broadening Islamic political good for all,” added Arifin.
Representing Lehpu in announcing the project, its deputy chairman 1 Muhtar Suhaili and deputy chairman 2 Mazli Z. Mohd Noor said the solar project was the brainchild of PAS president DatukSeri Abdul Hadi Awang, mooted when he attended the PAS Malaysia Day programme in Bintulu on September 16 last year.
“The project is significant for PAS to show its ability and dedication to help the people of Sarawak even though PAS has yet to win any seat in Sarawak. This is an opportunity for PAS, which is seen as outsider especially by Sarawakians in the past, to show its concerns for Sarawakians.
“The illusion and perception of Islam and even Islamophobia will be a thing of the past when Sarawakians recognise what PAS is. PAS is not just for Muslims, and in fact, PAS continues to gain place in the hearts of the people.
“In the last state election, PAS Bintulu put up an Iban non-Muslim candidate in Kakus constituency.
“This shows that we are serious about the welfare of longhouse people who are still left behind in terms of development,” said Mukhtar.