Hadi’s words being used to bring down PAS in Pengkalan Kubor

Banners strung along the roadside in Pengkalan Kubor are allegedly featuring words taken from PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang‎'s speech at the just concluded muktamar. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 22, 2014.

PAS's political rivals in Pengkalan Kubor have wasted no time in capitalising on Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang‎'s fiery speech at the muktamar on Saturday, with Barisan Nasional (BN) banners featuring the PAS president's remarks that there were "stooges" and "brokers" in the party.

"Kita jange sokong parti hok ada brokar dan barua," the banners, strung in Pengkalan Kubor, read in Kelantanese dialect. (Let's not support a party that has brokers and stooges.)

The words were a direct reference to Hadi's criticism over the two Selangor PAS assemblymen, whom he said had been "bought" by certain quarters to sign the statutory declaration in support of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the new Selangor menteri besar.

"‎I cannot accept how my two assemblymen have acted. How they became stooges for others, how they were bought over, how they became brokers," Hadi had said in his closing speech at the 60th PAS muktamar.

"I cannot accept that there are those who would buy over our wakil rakyat."

PAS deputy election director Zaki Ibrahim said it was wrong of them to use select portions of Hadi's speech in the banners.

"If they want to use the president's words, they should have ‎published the entire speech," he said at a press conference, adding that they were in talks with the Election Commission (EC) to have the posters removed.

He said PAS's "political rivals"‎ were also using pro-Pakatan Rakyat group PasMa against them, and had ‎ promoted a ceramah tomorrow, allegedly by PasMa, on the topic "victims of evil".

The fake poster showcased speakers‎ Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Hanipa Maidin and Mohd Taib Ahmad.

"These posters were created by people with ill-intention, who want to createe uneasiness among the people about PAS," said Zaki.

"There is no such ceramah. I called Hatta myself and he told me he is abroad."

However, Zaki refused to blame Umno, saying that it was the work of "political rivals."

These "political rivals" are evidently taking advantage of the deepening cracks in PAS and Pakatan Rakyat over the Selangor menteri besar saga to run down the Islamist party.

Posters have cropped up in Pengkalan Kubur, quoting PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din lamenting the "attacks" against the Shura Council.

"Haron Din kecewa keputusan Majlis Syura PAS diperlekeh oleh golongan pro Anwar," the poster read. (Haron Din is disappointed that the PAS Shura Council's decision is belittled by the pro-Anwar group.)

‎Zaki urged BN candidate Mat Razi Mat Ail and his party not to stoop to such levels.

"We hope this will not be their campaign material. We hope the candidate can maintain his seemingly clean and Islamic image," said Zaki.

Early voting for the Pengkalan Kubor state by-election involving 109 policemen was held yesterday.

T‎he by-election on Thursday is a three-way fight between BN's Mat Razi, Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim of PAS and independent Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.

The by-election was triggered following the death of three-term assemblyman Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar of BN, on August 20.

In last year’s general election, Noor Zahidi won by 1,736 votes to PKR’s Saharun Ibrahim, while independent candidate Izat Bukhary, who is contesting for a second time, only managed to win 65 votes.

Pengkalan Kubor has 24,039 voters, comprising of 92% Malays, 1% Chinese and 6.8% Siamese.

- TMI