This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on April 19, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang will not defend his Rhu Rendang state seat in Terengganu in the May 9 14th general election (GE14), a party official said yesterday.

Abdul Hadi has held the Rhu Rendang seat for seven consecutive terms since the 1986 general election.

“The president will only contest at the parliamentary level,” party secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan told a press conference.

Deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Takiyuddin would do likewise.

Takiyuddin, however, declined to confirm if Abdul Hadi will defend his Marang parliamentary seat in Terengganu.

“Let’s wait until tomorrow when we will announce the candidates for all states except Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Takiyuddin said only about 10 PAS candidates are expected to contest both parliamentary and state seats this time.

The secretary-general, who is the incumbent member of parliament for Kota Baru, said he would contest the seat for a second time at the party’s request.

He is expected to face Husam Musa, vice-president of the breakaway Parti Amanah Negara. Husam had previously served as PAS vice-president from 2011 to 2015.

Takiyuddin said PAS and other component parties of the loose coalition Gagasan Sejahtera, along with other  “PAS-friendly” parties, will contest in no less than 160 parliamentary seats.

Each of the candidates under Gagasan Sejahtera will also be required to undertake an oath prior to the announcement of the candidate list, he added.

“The oath is legally binding and they must step down as a representative if they quit or are sacked from the party,” said Takiyuddin.

“We can choose to take action, or not to do so, as in the past,” he added, referring to the mass defection of PAS members to Amanah in 2015.

“Most importantly it is the integrity of the individual that will be questioned by the public should you break your oath to the party,” he said.

Gagasan Sejahtera consists of PAS, Malaysia National Alliance Party (Ikatan) and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front (Berjasa) — all of which will be using the PAS logo in GE14, said Takiyuddin.