Hadi Awang: I’m not chasing PM’s post

Hadi Awang (left) said it is more important to focus on the goal of winning Putrajaya first. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

KOTA BARU, Nov 17 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang sought today to play down a suggestion from party delegates that he become the next prime minister instead of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, saying he would rather be a “servant” to the country instead of pursue the post.

The veteran politician, however, stopped short of saying if he would accept or decline the post if the offer was made should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) succeed in wresting federal power in the coming pools.

“I’d rather be a khadam (servant) to the country and the people,” was all the Marang MP said when posed the question at a press conference here during PAS’s 58th annual Muktamar.

But Abdul Hadi also stressed that he was not in pursuit of the post, claiming it was un-Islamic for a Muslim to clamour for positions of power for his or herself.

He would not name any candidate whom he felt was suitable for the job, saying instead that it is more important to focus on the goal of winning Putrajaya first.

“Whoever becomes the prime minister, who is accepted by the people, who can unite the people, can uphold justice for the people, we will accept, I will accept,” he said.

During debates at the muktamar earlier today, a delegate from the party’s ulama wing made a surprise proposal for Abdul Hadi to take on the prime minister’s post instead of Anwar.

Hairun Nizam, who made the suggestion during his turn at debates, said the PAS president was the “best person” to lead the country.

In response, the delegate earned enthusiastic shouts of “takbir” from the over 1,000 gathered for the annual meet here.

”I’d like to ask the delegates - who is the best person to lead the Malaysian government if not for Tuan Guru president?” he asked.

“This is not for the sake of revering him, but he is the most qualified person to become the next prime minister... and we, as proteges of an Islamic party, should not campaign for others to take on the post,” he added.

Hairun’s suggestion and the resounding support from party delegates contradicts the stand taken by the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership, which has repeatedly endorsed its de facto leader Anwar for the post of prime minister.

Just yesterday at the pact’s mammoth Himpunan Merdeka Rakyat rally in the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium here, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang reaffirmed this stand, declaring that PR parties DAP, PKR and PAS were united in selecting Anwar to replace Umno’s Datuk Seri Najib Razak should the pact wrest federal power in the next general election.

“Anwar will be the seventh prime minister, not the sixth,” he told the tens of thousands gathered at the venue.

The veteran politician said the stand was taken to “save” the country from the spread of corruption.

PR parties have repeatedly had to reaffirm their endorsement of Anwar as prime minister-designate to deflect criticisms from their political foes in Barisan Nasional (BN) that they were unable to achieve consensus on numerous issues.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek recently said that PR was unfit to rule the country due to the numerous conflicts among the pact’s three parties, pointing out that while some leaders have touted Anwar as prime minister, some have also said that the opposition leader was not the only qualified candidate for the post.

In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Anwar admitted that the coming 13th general election may be his last shot at power, saying that he may quit politics if PR fails in its bid to claim Putrajaya.

The influential business newspaper had noted that Anwar seemed tired for a man facing his best shot yet of governing a 28 million multiracial population fed-up with over half a century of BN rule that appears unable to reform politically, socially and economically.