KUALA LUMPUR: PAS grassroots leaders are sending a clear message to party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang that they are unhappy with his leadership, with close to 30% of the divisions nominating Datuk Husam Musa for the top post, said political analyst Ibrahim Suffian.

“This has never happened before in PAS, where a challenger receives seven out of 24 nominations,” said Ibrahim, the director of independent pollster Merdeka Center.

“I think the nominations for Husam are extraordinary. In the past, even getting one or two nominations was difficult. This is a signal from the members that they are unhappy with the leadership.”

Ibrahim said the conservative faction still had an advantage in the coming June party polls as it was more active in going down to the ground to clarify issues and strengthen ties with the grassroots.

Husam, who is vice-president of the Islamist party, made PAS history after the Batu Sapi division in Sabah, the Teluk Kemang and Seremban divisions in Negeri Sembilan and four divisions in Johor — Kota Tinggi, Segamat, Batu Bahat and Sri Gading — nominated him for the top post.

Incumbent Hadi received nominations from four divisions in Pahang, three in Johor, three in Selangor, two in the Federal Territory and one from Terengganu, Kedah and Malacca.

Two other divisions named Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Ahmad Awang as challengers for the top post.

There are more than 150 PAS divisions nationwide which will have to complete their meetings and nominations by the end of next month.

On Sunday, Husam admitted he was now in a dilemma over the nominations and was unsure whether or not to contest the post.

Those rooting for him see his response as a positive sign, given that in previous years he rejected nominations immediately.

“Husam gave the right answer,” said Kota Baru PAS chief Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah, who began the move to sideline Abdul Hadi when his division nominated Tuan Ibrahim for the presidency.

A PAS political observer said the recent events opened up the possibility of Abdul Hadi replacing Datuk Haron Din as the party’s spiritual adviser in June.

The PAS Syura Council may appoint a new chief once representatives from the party’s central committee, Dewan Ulama, Youth and Women’s wing are reappointed after the PAS muktamar in June.

Ibrahim said the grassroots were now pressuring the party to change its direction, following the recent tiff between PAS and its allies over the hudud law.

“They want to win and they want to win with Pakatan Rakyat. They want PAS to stay in the pact,” said Ibrahim.

“My reading is that ordinary members do not feel hudud is an issue, or that it is a priority. They just want the party to champion issues that will take them to Putrajaya with PR (Pakatan Rakyat), and not with Umno.” — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on April 8, 2015.