Mat Sabu retains deputy president's post

Mohamad Sabu has managed to fend off advances by the party's ulama faction to retain the PAS deputy president’s post for the next two years.

He defended the party's highest contested position with 588 votes against a strong challenge from Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who bagged 490 votes.

This is despite some ulama expressing concern that a non-religious scholar could assume the top post should present party leader Abdul Hadi Awang, who retained his post uncontested, decides to step down.

Polls committee chairperson Asmuni Awi said the announcement for the vice-president results will be made tomorrow by 9.30am due to a recount.

He said that all five veep candidates agreed to a recount as the difference between their votes was "something like less than two percent".

"It is neck to neck, so I don't want to lose my own neck," he said, explaining the recount.

Asmuni has earlier today offered to quit his election committee chief's post after an error which delayed the polls for the party's central committee by one day, however this was rejected by the leadership. 

Secretary-general Mustafa Ali said this is likely the first time a recount is done in recent party polls history.

However, the ulama faction appeared to have made its way back into PAS’ top central leadership with information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man likely to be elected as vice-president.

According to unofficial results, he has bumped off Husam Musa, considered the blue-eyed boy of party spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, to take one of the three vice-president spots.

Incumbent veep Salahudin Ayub and Mahfuz Omar have apparently defended their spots.

While Tuan Ibrahim is from the ulama faction, Mohamad, Salahudin and Mahfuz are widely regarded as part of the more cosmopolitan Erdogan.

Progressive faction's strong showing
The newly elected 18-member central committee also appeared to show that the progressive faction has pipped the ulama.

This follows the trend set at the 2011 party polls, where the ulamas failed to secure a place in the top four contested positions.

Eleven out of 18 of those who made the cut in the powerful central committee are professionals, while the rest are from religious background.

However, the ulama topped the list with Bukit Gantang MP Idris Ahmad receiving a whopping 927 votes out of the 1,057 votes cast.

Former PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan and former PAS Youth deputy chief Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, both from the ulama faction, also made a commendable debut into the committee list at sixth and seventh rank respectively.

Commenting on his win for the second time, Mohamad - who is better known as Mat Sabu - said there will be no celebration as it is just a contest between friends.

"Unlike our opponent party, we don't need millions of ringgit to win the deputy post," he quipped in an obvious reference to Umno.

He added that he will continue to work with PAS central leadership to strengthen Pakatan Rakyat cooperation as per the resolution passed without debate by the Muktamar today.

Those elected into the PAS central committee are:

1) Idris Ahmad (927)
2) Mazlan Aliman (840)        
3) Nizar Jamuluddin (688)
4) Amiruddin Hamzah (679)
5) Dr Hatta Ramli (649)
6) Nasruddin Hassan (645)
7) Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (627)
8) Mujahid Yusuf Rawa (626)
9) Dzulkefly Ahmad (610)
10) Hanipa Maidin (604)
11) Kamaruddin Jaafar (562)
12) Khalid Samad (547)
13) Nik Zawawi Salleh (518)
14) Syed Azman Syed Ahmad (476)
15) Riduan Mohd Noor (469)
16) Mahfodz Mohamad (455)
17) Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (437)
18) Nuridah Salleh (424)