Hadi Awang says ready to challenge Najib Tun Razak in Pekan

Abdul Hadi has been active in politics for more than three decades. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has announced his readiness to challenge Umno giant and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the Pekan seat in Pahang in the coming 13th general election, Sinar Harian has reported.

The veteran PAS leader, however, said the decision would be left to the party’s central leadership to decide.

“I will heed the party’s decision and will leave it to the party. The party will make the decision... including whether it will direct me to stand in the Pekan parliamentary seat,” he was quoted as telling reporters at the Terengganu PAS Muslimat election fund launch yesterday.

Abdul Hadi has been active in politics for more than three decades since his entry into the Islamist party in 1978.

The 65-year-old politician was Terengganu mentri besar for one term from 1999 to 2004, before the state fell back into Barisan Nasional (BN) hands in the 2004 general election.

Pekan’s incumbent Najib, who is also Malaysia’s sixth prime minister, was the Pahang mentri besar between 1982 and 1986, and was also known as the youngest politician to take on the post at 29 years.

The Kuala Lipis-born Najib first ran for elections in 1976 and has been an elected representative since then.