Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KOTA BARU: The move to sideline PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang began on Monday night when its Kota Baru division nominated vice-president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man for the top position in the Islamist party.

PAS Kota Baru said the nomination was part of its efforts to persuade Abdul Hadi not to contest the PAS presidency during the party polls in June.

It said Tuan Ibrahim’s nomination would appease the warring factions within PAS and unite the party, which is currently split between the clerics and the professionals.

“The PAS Kota Baru committee met last night and nominated Datuk Tuan Ibrahim for the presidency,” PAS Kota Baru chief Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah told The Malaysian Insider after their meeting ended. “I am confident the president will take this positively as it involves unity in the party.”

He said 11 out of the 13 committee members present supported Tuan Ibrahim’s nomination. “Tuan Ibrahim is not a controversial figure and has the trust of Tok Guru Haji Hadi,” he said.

“We also feel the ulama still needs to rule the party.”

Wan Abdul  Rahim is the PAS deputy election director and among those who want PAS to remain in Pakatan Rakyat.

He said the decision to nominate Tuan Ibrahim was made after PAS Kota Baru in its annual general meeting last Saturday gave the newly elected committee the mandate to decide who they would nominate for the party presidency.

PAS Kota Baru’s choice of Tuan Ibrahim, rather than party deputy president Mohamad Sabu, was based on the belief that Abdul Hadi would only willingly relinquish his seat for someone he could trust.

Next Saturday, PAS Parit Sulong, in Johor, is also expected to nominate another contender for the post of president.

This marks the first time that Abdul Hadi as president is being challenged. Abdul Hadi has won three elections uncontested since he took over the post from the late Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor in July 2002.

PAS will hold its party elections during its muktamar, or general assembly, this June in Shah Alam,  Selangor, against the backdrop of infighting and disputes over whether it should remain within the opposition coalition.

PAS’ conservative faction has often clashed with its allies in Pakatan, particularly DAP, while the more progressive leaders in the party, including Wan Abdul Rahim, want to remain in Pakatan. — The Malaysian Insider


This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 11, 2015.

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