'Win first, decide on PM later'

KOTA BARU - PAS must concentrate on winning the next general election and not get carried away with the issue of who will be the next prime minister.

Dewan Muslimat information chief Aiman Athirah Al-Jundi said the party must first win most or all of their allocated seats in the election before deciding on who will become the country's premier.

"The most important thing is if we want to capture Putrajaya is that it must be done through hard work and not just words.

"Do not insist that we be the leader (prime minister) or become the core issue in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition," she said in her winding-up speech for the women's wing.

On Saturday, Dewan Ulama delegate Hairun Nizam nominated party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang as Pakatan's best choice to be the country's seventh prime minister.

Aiman Athirah said if PAS really wants Abdul Hadi for the post, the party must first win all the 60 parliamentary seats it will be contesting.

Abdul Hadi, responding to the nomination, said he would prefer to be a 'servant' for the people, instead of their master.

"As a leader who is taught by an Islamic party, I cannot ask to be appointed to a position. What is most important is we must first secure victory (in the election)," he said.

Meanwhile, Dewan Ulama vice-chief Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed said PAS members should not entertain petty and sensitive issues stirred by the 'enemies' of PAS and Pakatan.

He said they should instead find the similarities with their counterparts in Pakatan, strengthen their determination and work hard to defeat Barisan Nasional (BN).

"I urge all to restrict talking about sensitive issues and differences between all. Instead, we need to find our similarities and discuss the concrete issues so we could focus more on defeating Umno and BN," he said.

A total of 1,116 delegates had gathered at the Pusat Tarbiyah Islamiyah Kelantan (Putik) in Pengkalan Chepa here since Friday for the three-day PAS muktamar.

Speaking to reporters after launching the National Direction of Education Convention at Universiti Selangor yesterday, Anwar responded positively: "Never mind. It is not a problem. We can discuss it nicely."

He said he was rushing for another event in Kuantan, Pahang.

-thesundaily