PAS candidate for Kemaman polls: 'Perhaps Dr M or someone else'

 

PAS is not dismissing speculations that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad could be named as its candidate for the Kemaman by-election in Terengganu.

Quizzed on this, party secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said all Malaysians are qualified to be a candidate for the federal seat.

“Perhaps it’s him (Mahathir), perhaps someone else. We have not decided,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the PAS muktamar in Shah Alam this evening.

Takiyuddin said the candidate for the Dec 2 polls would be announced before nomination day on Nov 18.

Speculation about the 98-year-old politician being fielded surfaced after Perikatan Nasional appointed him as the official adviser to a loose grouping of four states under its control.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad

On Oct 3, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said this was to capitalise on Mahathir’s influence.

He also denied PAS was pushing Mahathir to the forefront and sidelining PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin.

Tuan Ibrahim claimed Mahathir, who lost his deposit in his bid to defend the Langkawi seat in the last general election, was not interested in contesting again.

Following his appointment as the unofficial adviser, Sabah Umno leader Salleh Said Keruak cautioned that Mahathir could become prime minister again if his political adversaries are not careful.

Salleh Said Keruak

He predicted that the unofficial adviser appointment was just “the first move of many other bigger moves to come”.

The Kemaman seat fell vacant after the Kuala Terengganu election court’s decision to annul the victory of the former MP Che Alias Hamid - who represented PAS in the last national polls.

Terengganu is a PAS stronghold. In the last general election, the Islamist party won all eight parliament seats and in the recent state elections, captured all 32 state seats. - Mkini